


Bound By More Than Blood

by Cedarwings9



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate universe - Mafia, Blackmail, Blood and Injury, Boys Being Boys, Dark Character, Dystopia, Ennoshita Chikara is So Done, F/F, F/M, Freedom Fighters, Friends to Lovers, Gang Violence, Hinata Shouyou & Kageyama Tobio Friendship, Hinata Shouyou is Sunshine, Homelessness, Hurt Hinata Shouyou, M/M, One Big Happy Family, Protective Sugawara Koushi, Protective Tanaka Ryuunosuke, Slow Burn, Teacher Ukai Keishin, Tsukishima Kei is Bad at Feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-10-15
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:28:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 7
Words: 63,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24746101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cedarwings9/pseuds/Cedarwings9
Summary: "Who are the terrorists here? The people who have to fight just for their right to live or the ones who say we don't have a right to live because they hold our rights? We are done asking nicely. We protect our own, so will you join us and fight for a better future?" That is a question Hinata Shoyo could not answer right away.How could he choose to protect what little safety he could offer his little sister while hating the world that made his family suffer in the first place? Could he risk going back to jail just for the uncertain promise of freedom and redemption? Was joining the Crows his only option left?Was this his only chance to fight to be with the man everyone said he was forbidden to love?"One more chance. One more time..."***Note: Bad at summaries***
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji/Bokuto Koutarou, Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu, Hinata Shouyou/Kageyama Tobio, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou, Sawamura Daichi/Sugawara Koushi, Shimizu Kiyoko/Yachi Hitoka, Takeda Ittetsu/Ukai Keishin, Tendou Satori/Ushijima Wakatoshi, Tsukishima Kei/Yamaguchi Tadashi, atsumu - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 43





	1. I Just Need A Job

"Please, Shoyo, I can help. Really! I can watch dogs and clean-” 

“No, Natsu, you need to focus on getting better at volleyball and school.” Hinata scolded his younger sister. He could hear the soft beep warning that his minutes were almost up, reluctantly wrapping up the call. “Don’t worry, I’ll get a job so you and mom can have rooms of your own. I’ll call you when I’m ready for you guys to move in. I gotta go-” The call disconnected. Hinata sighed, his soaked shoulders slumping in defeat. While he may have gotten to have longer conversations with his little sister than when he was locked up, they never seemed long enough. It had been almost two years since he saw his feisty little sister, and having to wait any longer was starting to kill him. 

“Hey! Stop sulking around here, parasite! You are scaring away the customers.” The store owner of the cafe yelled at Hinata, brandishing a heavy-looking mop as his weapon. 

“Oh! Sorry, I was just wondering if you had any positions opened that I could fill for a little while-” Hinata yelped, ducking away from the mop as it flew above his head. 

“I said get fucking lost! I’m not gonna spoil my reputation for a street bum. Now get out or I’m calling the cops!” Hinata bolted, his ribs aching at the mere mention of the cops. The streets were not that crowded but the rain slowed his pace just enough that he could hear the store owner on his tail for a half a block before it faded into the background drone of the city. Hinata hid under an overturned industrial dumpster, wrinkling his nose at the smell before letting out a soft sigh. 

“At least it's dry.” He muttered to himself before a drop of water dripped onto his nose. Hinata shrugged off his tattered outer jacket and placed it on the dumpster floor to try to keep the grease off of his damp underclothes. The rain turned into a downpour, which made Hinata thank the gods for his luck at a hiding spot no one seemed to have claimed. 

He learned quickly living on the streets the past two weeks that if you didn’t find a spot first, you would have to fight for a place to sleep or go without. Even finding a spot first meant you might have to move if someone was willing to fight. Due to his size, Hinata often found that it was safer to move than get into a fight. He had to be careful where he slept as well because of needles or infectious areas that would make it impossible for his mom and sister to join him if he ever got an apartment. He tried sleeping in the homeless shelter, but being there made it harder for him to keep his head down. 

"Tomorrow for sure. I'll get a job, and then Natsu can go to a real school and have a room all to herself." Hinata declared out into the rain. Thunder rolled above him as if to quell his defiance, yet Hinata's eyes never lost their glow of passion. If he could claim one thing that his crimes and years spent behind bars, that this world would not break him. Not when he had people who looked down on him and or needed him. He drifted off into a restless slumber as the rain poured atop his dumpster haven. 

Hinata woke hours before dawn curled up under a pile of newspapers along with his coat. He wondered what had woken him before he recognized the familiar sounds of a trash truck. He bolted upright just as the long prongs of the truck dug into the side of the dumpster. 

"Hey! Hey! I'm in here!" He yelled, scrambling into his coat just as the dumpster dumped him out. He heard the heartbreaking sound of the last threads of his coat shred as they caught the edge of the dumpster. It fell to the ground in ribbons and left Hinata staring at it dumbfounded. His jacket had been the one thing that had been with him since he was ten. Now, his favorite volleyball player merchandise lay on the ground like his hopes. 

"Fly" was all that could be read on the back of the tattered jacket as the garbage man picked it up off the ground. Hinata watched the guy chuck it into the trash without even looking at him. Shaking himself, Hinata turned on his heel in search of food. His stomach moaned in protest from the near three days of neglect, but Hinata tried not to get his hopes up. That was until he saw a local convenience store owner put out a cart of apples and strawberries about a block from his alley. He reached into his pocket, desperate for any change. He pulled out less than a hundred yen. Barely enough for a slice of apple. He glanced at the store owner, who was leaning against the storefront smoking a cigarette with a heavy tan apron. He yawned, running a hand through his spiky blond hair before looking over at Hinata. 

"Oi, kid!" The owner shouted, making Hinata jump. "You might wanna get out of the road." Hinata paused before hearing a car horn blare behind him. Diving out of the street, he found himself scrambling to the side where the store owner stood. He walked closer to the owner, head hung with his hundred yen in his hands. 

"Thanks… is there anything I can get?" The owner stared down at the grungy money in Hinata's hand before grunting. 

"Nope, not enough for a candy bar." Jonathan's heart sank, and he almost pocketed his money before the owner stopped him. "Though it is enough to hop in the shower in the back. Might have a few extra shirts and shoes for you to borrow."

"What? Really!" Hinata almost cheered, his hands tightening into fists as he clutched his money. The store owner grunted and looked away. 

"Just hurry up and keep quiet. I can't let it get out that I went soft on a charity case." He glanced up and down the street as a cop car pulled around the corner. "Get in. Hurry up." Hinata dove into the store, rushing to the back of the store at the direction the owner indicated. 

"Hang on." Hinata felt the wiener grab the collar of his shirt and pull him back behind the counter. He found himself shoved in a cupboard harshly. Before he could object, the owner crouched down and slammed his hand over the boy’s mouth. "Listen, no matter what you hear, don't make a sound. You ain't from around here, so let this be a warning. People like you who stand out don't last long here, especially if they are homeless and jobless." With that, the owner slammed the cupboard as the doorbell rang. Hinata thought he should try to run for it, but his instincts told him to trust the owner. 

"Morning, officers. Sorry but the coffee is gonna take a minute." The owner growled the sounds of a rustling newspaper; the only sound Hinata could hear other than his own heavy breathing. For once, he was glad he was small. 

"Shut up, Ukai. Where is the kid?" The cop growled. Giants heard another pair of feet stomping around the store, searching for him. 

"Kid? Oh, the street urchin with orange hair? Yeah, booked it out the back the second he saw you guys. You already rough the kid up today or something?"

"The criminal wouldn't be running through your store if we had run into him before, now would he? You sure he's gone?" The cop hummed, the sound of heavy boots moving behind the counter made Hinata's heart quicken. They stop just before his hiding place, and everything was silent. 

Then the door opened, and Hinata found himself face to face with an officer. 

The officer and Hinata locked eyes and stared at one another. Hinata's breath caught in his throat, which stopped him from screaming. The officer's thin wire glasses glinted in the dark early morning light as two amber yellow orbs looked into Hinata’s golden ones. There was a tense silence before the officer tched and stood up. 

“You never quit, do you, Ukai.” The officer muttered before snatching the cigarette the owner held up. The owner, Ukai, grinned, and ruffled the officer’s hair.

“You know it, kid. Thanks for patrolling the streets today. I’ll keep the kid and the others on a low profile. I promise Tsukishima.” Hinata looked up, curiously at the interaction between the officer and the store owner. The officer took a quick drag or two before his partner shouted at him. 

“Oi! Rookie, no smoking on the job! You wanna get canned on your second day?” The other officer snapped. 

“Sorry, sir. Figured the owner deserved to give us something for keeping his store clear of street rats.” The officer handed the cigarette to Ukai and walked away, his hand bumping the cupboard to close Hinata in darkness. The orange-haired kid curled into a ball, listening to the officers chat about their patrol.

“Locked up two kids caught smoking a blunt in the park. Past curfew, looking like they were gonna get it on. Underage sex, smoking, public indecency, possession, and usage of a controlled substance? How long do you think they're gonna get in lockup, eh, Tsuki?” The other officer asked Tsukishima. There was a pause that Hinata assumed gave Tsuki enough time to shrug. 

“Three months in juvie?” He guessed. The other officer laughed. 

“Fuck, no! They tightened the noose on younger fuckers. Sixteen is when they can lock up kids who think they can have underage sex and break curfew. Each offense is two months in the big boy brig. All together? The kids are looking at a year and a half.” Hinata’s stomach rolled in disgust and hatred. People are still kids when they are sixteen and don’t know any better. 

“I think one of the kids said something about supporting his family. The other one definitely can’t afford a lawyer. She didn’t even have a proper cell phone.” Tsuki sighed. Hinata caught the faintest hint of hatred in the officer's voice. 

“So? We picked them up in the crackhead house. Parents are probably leeches anyway. They come down to the station to pick up their kid they can get locked up too. If they show.” The cruel officer laughed before Ukai snapped. 

“Think you should get on with your day, officers.” There was a moment of silence before the asshole officer spoke up.

“Yeah, I wouldn't want to stay too long in your crackhead rat trap of a store. Nothing here worth buying anyway.” Hinata watched a dozen or so yen tossed in the shop owner’s face, a snarky comment following the coins before the doorbell rang. Another long pause passed before a second bell sounded, and there was silence. With a heavy sigh, Ukai opened the cupboard. 

“All clear, kid. Sorry, I didn’t have time to put you somewhere more comfortable.”

“It’s fine.” He paused, looking outside the shop before glancing back at the owner. “Why did you help me, sir? I don’t have any money-”

“Because I hate these damn cops and the government, that’s why.” Ukai snapped, putting out his cigarette roughly in his ashtray. “Gangs at least have a code of honor, and you can predict them as chaotic assholes. But the military? The police? They are lying, cheatin’ bastards that hide behind the so-called law. They got the normal public’s support, so most people don’t see their cruelty.” 

“But why do you? I mean, see through their crap?” Hinata asked quietly, taking the offered soap and shampoo. Ukai shrugged and lit another cigarette. 

“You ain’t the first kid I helped. Used to be like you, truth be told.” He stared at Hinata, his sharp eyes softening as he placed his hand over Hinata’s greasy orange hair without a care. “Everyone makes mistakes and gets down on their luck. The rough part is the government and corporations make it seem like being human is a crime these days. Everyone needs a reminder every once and awhile.” Hinata stared up at the owner, feeling the dying ember of hope suddenly come to life inside his soul. He pumped his fist into the air.

“Yeah! The government and police can go to hell for all we care-” Hinata found a sack of rice slammed over his head as Ukai hissed angrily. 

“You fucking moron! Don’t yell that shit! You wanna get us both arrested?” Hinata sputtered and apologized as he clutched his throbbing head. Ukai sighed heavily before sitting back in his folding chair. “Get in the shower, moron. You’ve got work to do.” 

“What?” Hinata asked, holding his supplies and clothes close to his chest. Was this guy saying what Hinata hope he heard? Ukai looked up from his newspaper with a slightly more crouchy scowl. 

“Work, kid. Unless you just like looking like a grubby highschooler smelling like a dumpster fire?” Hinata shook his head and jumped into the closet-like bathroom and began to bathe. Tears mixed with the water from his shower as the hot water poured over his aching body. The scratches and dirt that covers his skin washed away like all the hopeless nights under the cascade of kindness the owner had poured over him. He leaned back against the icy wall of the shower and pressed his hand over his eyes as soft sobs of joy broke from his chest. 

“I did it, Natsu. I got a job…” He couldn’t stop the brightest smile from growing on his lips until he felt his cheeks ache. He couldn’t help but sing for the first time in what felt like ages, a little shower song he used to sing to himself before he went to school every morning. 

“Gonna wash, wash all the nasty bugs away. Oh yeah, wash and scrub Until there’s nothing left to get in my way. That’s right, today’s gonna be great because I’m washing away the bad stuff!” He heard Ukai bang on the door, so he quieted down, pouring his shampoo into his hand and scrubbing the grease from his hair. He couldn’t wait until he had his own bathroom to shower in. A place where he wouldn’t be afraid of the bar of soap Ukai had given him. He settled for the bottle of body wash at the bottom of the pile of cleaning supplies, like the apple and cherry blossom scent, even if it wasn’t very manly. It reminded him of his mother. He smiled as he dried off. 

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll make sure you don’t have to work ever again someday.” Hinata muttered to himself as he pulls his new t-shirt over his now fluffy orange hair. It was a little big for him, but Hinata just assumed it was because of his half-starved body; he would fill it out soon with food. His shorts stings had to be double tied to keep it on his boney hips. The only thing he had to keep from his days on the street was the old tennis shoes that he would have to clean. They only had one hole in the sole so he could save up for another pair. Stepping out of the bathroom, he found Ukai picking out various things off the shelves and placing them into boxes. 

"Thank you for letting me borrow your shower. It felt amazing." Hinata paused, unsure of how to repay the owner's kindness. Ukai paused in his work before smirking at Hinata. 

"You clean up good, kid. If we can get ya, another pair of shoe cops wouldn't know the difference." He closed up the last box just as the sun broke free from the buildings surrounding the tiny shop. A warm orange glow brightened like Hinata's eye when Ukai patted the boxes that were now strapped together with notes. 

"Alright, kid. Price for the shower and a hot meal means you have to deliver these boxes to these addresses I've written down here. Normally I would have my grandpa's kids do it, but they are sadly in school now. So, how you get them, there is up to you; just keep the boxes closed and deliver them. Don't worry about making money. They pay online, so any cash you get is tips for you." He paused, glancing over at Hinata's shining eyes. "You got an ID?" 

"Um…" Hinata reached into his pocket for the single card the officers had given him when he left. The store owner frowned before shaking his head and snatching the card from Hinata's hand. 

"Give me an hour." Ukai walked over to the phone on the wall and dialed. "Oi, Specs! You got time to do a little flip flop for a street rat? Yeah, another one. I thought you said you had a soft spot for those less fortunate. Me? He'll no, I can't pull one off with the new cops around. Yeah, kids working for me. No, he isn't invoked; clean and new." Hinata's ears perked up. Involved? What was or wasn't he engaged in? He looked nervously at Ukai while the blond man waited for a response. "Thanks, Specs. I'll send him over with your package. Yep, the usual order." Ukai hung up the phone and turned to Hinata. 

"Here's the plan. You are gonna go to school and deliver your first order. It's a teacher named Takeda Ittetsu who's gonna get your ID. You get stopped by the cops, you tell them that your uncle forgot his lunch and took your wallet. When they ask for proof, give them this number. Specs know the drill after that and keep your mouth shut. Got all that?" Giants nodded, his brain aching with the effort to remember everything. Ukai nodded, shoving a box to his chest. "Good, now get going before school starts." 

Hinata bolted out the door as fast as his feet could carry him. The box wasn't too heavy, but the meat bun and protein bar in his mouth made his run more complicated than it had been. He didn't care how hard it was to breathe, he was eating a meat bun and working—the two things he never had much hope for a few hours ago. The city came alive around him, and no one turned their nose up at him for once. They stepped out of the way, a few lighthearted people shouting for him to be careful. The smell of restaurants opening breathed new life to his soul. He was still hungry, but now he didn't feel as if he would break in and steal the food. 

"Excuse me," Hinata called out to one man outside a bike shop. The man's shaved head and mean scowl made Hinata almost jump back in fright. However, when the man noticed the logo on his package, he beamed. 

"Hey! Ukai finally got a delivery boy, huh?" He turned to giants, his sleeveless white shirt fluttered around his built frame. His jean shorts were stained and covered in bike grease along with his hands. "I'm Tanaka, in case you were wondering. That package for me?" Hinata shook his head.

"No, but I'll be sure to deliver your package next, sir." Tanaka laughed, slapping his hand on Hinata's back in a familiar manner. 

"Yeah, it's all good. You are running around pretty early anyway, and I don't need it until later." He paused, tilting his head to the side and reading the note on Hinata's package. "Takeda, huh? You know he works on the other side of the city, right?"

"Oh. Crap!" Hinata panicked. Tanaka burst out laughing. 

"Hey, cool it! Just turn your stupid ass around and run until you see the big six sides building in the far side of town then take a right. It should be about a kilometer or so after that." 

"Thank you! I’ll hurry back with your package!" Hinata shouted over his shoulder as he took off in the direction Tanaka pointed. He skidded to a stop at an intersection, waiting patiently before noticing a tall man with silvery grey hair next to him, tilting his head to the side. 

"Aren't you supposed to be in school, kid?" The man asked gently, looking at the package in Hinata's hand. Huffing, Hinata straightened his back and pushed his shoulders back. 

"No, because I already graduated. I'm nineteen." The man laughed and rubbed the back of his head. 

"Oh, my bad. You are kinda short, and you look really young. I guess I should ask which college you go to, then?" The light started to change, so Hinata dodged the question.

"Sorry, I gotta deliver this before things get warm." He took off, the silver-haired man shouting after him before Hinata lost himself in the crowd. Just before he made it to the school, he turned a corner and ran face-first into a cop. 

"Oof!" The officer huffed, glaring down at him. Giants stumbled back, almost dropping his package. His mind went blank as he stared up at the cop. "Oi! You trying to skip school or something?" The officer looked down at the package before frowning. "You lift that or something? You don't look like you are from around here."

"I-I well you see-" Hinata couldn't stop his hands from trembling. His mouth went dry as the officer placed his hand on his taser gun and glared. 

"I think I need to see some ID." Hinata's heart dropped. 

"Oi, Hinata!" A voice shouted behind him. The officer and Hinita looked up and saw the same silver-haired man from the earlier intersection. The man's beaming smile put the officer at ease but still maintained his air of suspicion. The silver-haired stranger started panting as if he had run after Hinata. "Phew, glad I caught you. The Principle would not be happy if you showed up late again with Takeda's lunch," Hinata stared stupidly at this stranger. 

"You know this kid?" The officer growled. Hinata opened his mouth to say no, but the stranger shot his hand out between the officer and Hinata. 

"Yes, the kid always forgets his ID, and his uncle never remembers his lunch." A bell rang in the distance as the silver-haired man laughed. "I'm sorry. Officer, but we need to hurry-"

" I still need to see some ID." The officer snapped. Jonathan's heart was beating out of his chest bit the silver-haired stranger just kept smiling. 

"Of course." Without hesitation, he produced an ID card. "Sugawara Koshi. Second-year college student substituting at Kurasono High School for my education classes. Takeda is my adviser, so that's how I know his nephew." He said everything without hesitation and suspicion that he could be lying. The officer paused for a long moment before handing back the ID card.

"Call the adviser. I wanna get confirmation." Sugawara did so, and the officer's hopes of making an arrest were dashed. "Alright, but fix this shit. No more forgetfulness, got it? Might end up in a world of hurt without your ID." Hinata nodded and let out his breath as the officer turned on his heel and walked to his squad car. 

"Oh, I thought I was dead…" Hinata gasped, sinking to his knees as the cop sped away. Sugawara sighed and helped Hinata to his feet, brushing off his knees to boot. 

"I was lucky I was here. What were you thinking, running around without an ID by yourself? Doesn't Ukai have any sense?" Sugawara huffed before glancing down at Hinata’s shoes. “Good thing he didn’t look at your shoes. Dead give away that you aren’t from around here.” 

“Um, excuse me. I know I shouldn’t be complaining, but why did you help me? I mean, thank you very much, but I don’t have any money-” Hinata started to babble before Sugawara burst out laughing and waved his hand. Hinata was momentarily fascinated by the beaming smile and innocent expression this stranger had with the dimple under his eye. 

“Honestly, it’s because I wanted to help. I might not know what it’s like living on the street or being targeted by the police, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help.” He ruffled Hinata’s hair playfully before patting his back. “Come on, Takeda might have already started the class, but we can start the ID process.”

“Wait, how do you know that I needed an ID?” Hinata muttered suspiciously. 

“I know because I helped Takeda design it with Ukai to help fight against the tyrannical police state we live in.” Sugawara smiled, pushing Hinata to walk with him towards the school. “So, what brings you here, Hinata? Not a whole lot of people move into Kurasono, much less homeless kids. Why aren’t you in college?” Hinata flinched and glued his eyes to the ground. He was grateful for Sugawara for helping him, but he couldn’t trust him to tell him the real reason why he wasn’t in college and homeless. It was too humiliating. Reading Hinata’s hesitance, Sugawara began talking about his job with Ukai. 

“I got lost on my way here, so probably not going to tell,” Hinata admitted, chuckling while Sugawara snickered before bursting into laughter. 

“It’s such a small city I’m surprised we never ran into each other before! Maybe Ukai can help get you a map at his shop. Now, just follow my lead and try to look like a delivery man.” He paused, looking around before picking up a discarded baseball cap with an almost unidentifiable logo on the front as they passed a bench. He slammed it over Hinata’s head, careful to tuck in the stray orange tufts of hair into the cap. “There, now you look almost official.” They wandered into the school, Hinata subconsciously drifting closer to Sugawara as they passed through the halls. 

Hinata focused on keeping his breathing even as they passed a bathroom. Images of the tiles along the floor spattered with blood flashed across his eyes. Wincing at the phantom pain in his cheek where a urinal had bruised and cut him. The pain in his…

“Hey, you ok?” Sugawara whispered, pulling Hinata into an empty classroom. Hinata hadn’t realized he had been hyperventilating until Sugawara had placed both hands on his shoulders and started to shake Hinata. “Hinata, talk to me. Do you need to go to the hospital? What’s wrong?” 

“I-I just can’t go to the bathroom.” He whimpered, looking away from Sugawara. The teacher’s aid was too kind to wear the face of the people who tormented him. He shouldn’t be afraid of Sugawara, not after he showed him nothing but kindness. Sugawara led Hinata over to a chair and pushed him into it. Gently pushing Hinata until his head was between his knees, Sugawara began rubbing his back soothingly. 

“Hey, whatever happened can’t hurt you anymore. I promise I won’t let anyone hurt you, even if they are in the bathroom. Breathe…” Sugawara soothed, waiting patiently until Hinata’s breathing slowed, and he sat up. “Right, you don’t have to talk to me about anything you don’t want to, but you should know that I’m here to listen. I know you don’t know me very well, but I hope that I can be a friend you can lean on in the future.””

“Thank you, Sugawara-”

“Call me, Suga.” He suggested warmly. Hinata smiled, feeling his anxiety melt away under the warm glow of that grin. 

“Thank you, Suga. I”m sorry I’ve been such a pain. I promise-” Suga gently hit Hinata atop his head and pulled the orange-haired kid to his feet. 

“Relax, kid. I wouldn’t be doing this if it was such a bother. Now, I’ll take you to the room so you can unload that package and start getting that ID together.” Suga held out his hand to Hinata with a proud smile. “Maybe a sandwich and water while we are at it.”

“That sounds great. Thanks, Suga.” Hinata beamed and followed Suga to another club room. It was set up like a photography studio with a small desk and fridge shoved in the corner. Hinata sat in the only free chain on the other side of the desk and waited for Suga to return. He was shaking with excitement at how his luck had turned, from starving alone on the street to having his brand new ID with a job and a new friend. He wanted to call his mom and sister as soon as he could, debating whether to pick up the phone on the desk and call right then. The door opened to reveal Suga beaming at him. 

“Class is going to end here in about half an hour, so do you mind chatting with me until then?”

“Of course!” Suga grabbed the other chair and folded his legs cross over one another. 

“This isn’t an interrogation, but I'm curious as to how you got here on your own. I told you it’s a small town, so we should have run into each other if you had lived here.” Hinata paused before slowly opening up. 

“Well, I lived… somewhere else for a while before my mom and little sister had to move. We barely had the money to put my little sister through school, so I left to look for work. We lived up in the mountains, so I couldn’t find any work there, and I came here.” Suga nodded in understanding. 

“I’m sorry about your sister and mom. You plan on moving back or sending them money?” Hinata shrugged. 

“I promised I would get them an apartment here so that they can each have their own rooms-” 

“You don’t want to live here.” Suga’s face darkened as he cut Hinata off. Noticing Hinata’s fearful hesitation, he explained. “You’ve seen how cops are around here. You don’t really know how bad it is until you live here and pay taxes and school fees. They set up a bunch of programs presented to help those ‘less fortunate’ while systematically painting a target on their back. The school supplies the kids are given to make them a target for teachers to discriminate against even if they are the smartest kid in class. The job-hunting opportunities only go so far and are limited to unskilled, underpaid slave labor jobs. The housing market is so biased that you can’t get into an application office unless you have a spotless record and have money to burn.” Hinata frowned, his heart sinking. 

“Why is it like that? Who are they discriminating against? Why?” Suga’s grimace turned sad as he stared out the window. 

“Those who aren’t lucky enough to be born ‘normal.’ People with learning disabilities, foreigners, and immigrants, those who are poor or uneducated. People who are born with physical disfigurements or veterans or even those who would rather date someone like them.” The last word seemed to catch in his throat. Hinata stared at him cluelessly before Suga noticed the silence and chuckled. “Oh, Ukai didn’t tell you; it makes sense. Just know that you have to be really careful who you are seen within the public. The cops and citizens here tend to shoot first and ask questions later.” 

“What’s that supposed to mean? I still don’t get why they hate people like that. Aren’t we all people?” Suga smiled, reaching out to ruffle Hinata’s hair again. 

“Wouldn’t it be great if everyone thought like that, huh? Sadly, those in power are greedy and need someone to vilify to the masses. They rewrite history, make themselves perfect so that those who follow blindly won’t consider that there is another way. They brainwash kids into being nothing more than unskilled labor so they can have more money and power.” 

“Yeah, it's evil,” Hinata muttered, gripping his hands into fists. “But life isn’t fair.” 

“Nope, but that doesn’t mean it has to stay that way.” Suga leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially. “You aren’t the only one who isn’t ok with how our system is set up. If you stick around with Ukai, you might get a chance to be a part of the change.” Hinata’s eyes widened as the gears slowly clicked together. Suga grinned and leaned back. “When you have enough money, I suggest living with a roommate or two so you can have your mom and sister live in a cottage in your home town. Maybe you guys can work something out so that you can get your sister a real tutor.” 

“Oh yeah! She’s super smart. She used to help me with my homework before-” Hinata stopped himself, almost letting his past slip. Suga smiled warmly, and Hinata felt a chill run up his spine. He leaned back, eyes narrowing.

This guy is too easy to talk to, Hinata thought. He almost made me slip up, and I barely even know him. And talking like he wants to start a revolution? That’s too risky. I can’t risk getting locked up again. Natsu doesn’t deserve to go through that back. I don’t think I could survive that again, either…

"See? Everything works out in the end. If you need, I know of a few jobs that can pay well- " Hinata cut him off by crossing his arms over his chest and glaring across the desk.

"I'll do fine working my way up on my own. I'm not gonna get involved with anything illegal." Suga's smile didn't waver for a moment. He laced his fingers over his knee and recessed his legs. 

"Who says illegal is already bad? You are trying to get a clean badge illegally, yet does it make what we are doing bad?" Hinata frowned, Sugawara, taking this as an opportunity to continue. "If the system is broken, who's to say what's wrong or right? I say you aren't a criminal if you are doing something illegal if its to help someone like you out."

"This isn't about us or them. I just wanna stay out of trouble." Suga's smile turned sad as the mysterious silver hair college student shook his head. 

"Hinata, I think you and I both know that trouble is always gonna find you. It's just a matter of when and who has your back." Before Hinata could reply, the classroom door burst open. Hinata jumped with a loud cry, falling back in his chair as the door slammed quickly shut. 

"I don't have very long. A last-minute staff meeting was called. Oh, of course, Ukai would do this to me today." Hinata scrambled to his feet, watching a young-looking man with thin glasses and wild curly hair hustle around the room and shooing Sugawara out of his chair. Suga laughed and stepped out of the flustered man's way. 

"Take it easy, Takeda. You were the one who begged to help Ukai take care of kids like this. No sense in complaining now." Takeda pushed up his glasses and began typing away at his computer. 

"I know, Sugawara. Did you have Hinata fill out his paperwork?" Hinata's heart sank. Paperwork was never a good sign…

"No, I thought you had it already. No matter, I think we should just start from scratch anyway." Takeda glared at his pupil. 

"Sugawara, how many times do I have to tell you that it takes longer if we do an interview. Plus it's riskier because I cannot save it to the computer-"

"Just put my name and birthday. I can mesmerize the rest." Hinata offered, getting back to his seat. Takeda frowned before nodding at the idea.

"Well, I guess that works. Just don't get caught flashing the ID card like its something special. As long as the cops don't scan it, it should pass all the latest tests." The teacher then began asking Hinata how to spell his name in kanji and later his birth date. It took two or three tries to get Hinata's photo because he either scooped or smiled too brightly. They eventually settled on a neutral look that Takeda brought on when he started talking about mathematical theories. He then began printing the ID card when the bell rang. "Oh, crap. Got to go, they are going to start asking questions. Sugawara, would you mind taking Hinata back to Ukai with his badge?"

"It would be my pleasure." Suga accepted the request with a polite bow before Takeda scrambled out of the classroom. Hinata felt both comfortable around Sugawara, but the hints the college student dropped made Hinata's hair stand on end. His face was warm and friendly, but the rebellious undertones made him seem like a wolf in sheep's clothing. Suga pulled the ID out from under a hidden cabinet in the wall and handed it to Hinata. 

"Congratulations, Hinata. You don't have to walk around completely terrified of the cops. Though I would recommend dying your hair. It's almost a dead give away that you aren't from around here."

"No way! My hair is perfect, so people can just shove off about it." Hinata's hands flew up into his hair as if Suga's very comment was an attack on the hair's state of being. Siva laughed and waved away his suggestion. 

"Alright, let's get you back to Ukai." The two men walked out of the school, avoiding the bathrooms much to Hinata's relief. Suga began talking about all the places Hinata should visit as they walked. It was nearly noon, and they passed the cafe Hinata had been chased away from the day before. He took a long breath in of the aroma that drifted through the door and felt as if he might float away with the blissful scent in his nose. 

"Oh, this is an amazing place to visit! Good idea." Before Hinata could object, he found himself being dragged into the cafe. His heart stopped, frozen in the larger man's grip as he locked eyes with the owner. 

"Oi! Street trash! Don't you be mooching off of-" the owner paused, recognizing Suga's beaming smile and wave. "Oh, Sugawara. You know this gutter trash?" Hinata winced while Suga kept smiling. 

"I think you should get Ennoshinoa, sir." There was the thinnest veiled threat in his tone that the man recognized. 

"Y-Yes, sir." The man scampered off, bolting behind the counter and running into an office. Suga walked up to a confused looking server and pointed to a table.

"We will have that table with the special today. Two specials, if you don't mind. And a cup of coffee special today." The server barely had a moment to object before Suga slipped a dozen or so bills into her hand and walked towards the table he had gestured to. The server dashed away, to fill his order while Hinata followed helplessly. The server came back just as Hinata was starting to get comfortable with a small latte and a glass of orange juice for Hinata. 

"I didn't order-" Hinata tried to.object before Suga placed his palm on the table between Hinata's hands. 

"My treat. I never get anyone to come with me here, and you got me out of a lot of annoying paperwork. So relax and enjoy it." The server left, and Hinata sunk in his seat. 

"I and starting to think you want me to owe you something," Hinata grumbled, picking up the bendy straw usually reserved for children. Siva smirked and ruffled Hinata's hair. 

"You are smarter than most kids because normally, you would be right." Hinata stiffened, but Suva just waved his hand with a smile. "Not this time, though. You made it clear that you don't have anything to offer, and you have a reason to stay out of trouble. So I'm just enjoying the company of a new friend." 

"New friend? Since when do you make friends instead of just adopting right off the street, Sugawara." A plain-looking server walked over with a sleepy smile ghosting across his lips. Siva jumped from his seat and hugged the man, to which the man responded with a tired half hug. 

"Ennoshita! It's been so long since I've seen you. It's hard managing the wild ones by myself. Daichi is even starting to get tired of it." The server, Ennoshita, snickered. 

"Yeah, but I've done my time. You said you could handle them." Suga sighed and stirred his latte while Ennoshita turned to Hinata. "I'm Ennoshita. I own this cafe, and Suga and I go way back." Suga smiled warmly and ruffled Ennoshuta's hair. 

"Shoyo Hinata. I just moved here and-" 

"He needs a job, Ennoshita." Siva interrupted. The two other boys stared at the beaming college student in shock. "He's been taken under Ukai's wing, but that guy doesn't need any more help. He won't make enough working for Ukai anyway. Please? Just until the kid gets his feet under him?" 

"Hey! I can get a job by myself-" Hinata started to object before Ennoshita reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a sealed envelope with a red wax seal. Suga instantly seemed to recognize the envelope and quickly snatched it from Ennoshita fingertips before anyone, but Hinata could notice the exchange. The air between the two men changed, causing Hinata to shiver. They exchanged a nod before returning to the cheerful smiling friends. 

"I'd be happy to help. When do you think you can work?" Hinata paused, frowning in confusion before Suga placed his hand on the orangette's shoulder. 

"Call Ukai before putting him on the schedule. We need him to get to Tadashi before he starts getting on the official payroll." Ennoshita nodded in understanding while Hinata sat glancing between the two men cluelessly. 

"Um… what's going on?" He asked timidly, both men turned their attention to Hinata. 

"Nothing, just two old friends working to help a new friend." With that, two trays were placed on the table. Snapshots laughed and gently shoved Suga's shoulder. 

"You always order the same thing for the new kids." Hinata frowned in confusion.

"I'm born a kid. I'm eighteen." He glanced down at the food as his stomach growled loudly. Siva smiled and motioned for Hinata to.dig in. The little orange-haired man did not need another invitation. He began shoveling food into his mouth until his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk while Suga sipped his latte and picked at his salad. Hampshire's eyes widened as he watched Hinata devoured his food. 

"Dang, you can eat, Hinata." Hinata nodded, mumbling a response through his food, but it was lost in the other two men's ears. Just as they finished their meal, Suga's phone buzzed. 

"Oh, Asahi." He opened the message and shot to.his feet. "You free tonight, Ennoshita?" Software's entire demeanor went completely dark. His smile disappeared, and his soft jaw set with determination. The warm and welcoming aura he had emanated was taken over by a cold rage. Ennoshita mirrored his friend's seriousness. He stood, holding up Suga's coat and stepping out of the way. 

"Cat's scratch up the couch again, huh?" Suga nodded, pulling on his coat. 

"They got the Owls in on it from what Asahi is saying." Snapshots grimaced and waved Suga as the silver-haired college student bolted out the door. Hinata watched in horror when he realized he had been left with the bill. Ennoshita turned to Hinata with a knowing grin. 

"Looks like you got the short end of the stick. You don't need to.pay up right now, so don't worry about it." Hinata slumped across the table in relief. "Just means I can work you even harder when you show up tomorrow afternoon." 

"What!"


	2. Who Are You?

“Oi! Kid, I need to go out for a little while. You think you can hold down the shop for a few hours?” Ukai called the second Hinata walked through the door. Hinata jumped back as Ukai tossed the shop keys at him. Hinata fumbled for a few seconds, the keys bouncing mockingly out of his despite attempts to secure them. 

“Y-Yeah but I wanted to talk to you about-” 

“Yeah, the job Ennoshita said he was gonna hire you on for. We talked about it but you don’t need to worry about it. Can you run a register?” 

“Well, not really because I only helped my mom at the supermarket sometimes-”

“Good enough for me! If this place burns down, I’m taking it out of your hide!” Ukai burst out from behind the counter, tossing his apron at Hinata as he bolted out into the noonday sun. Hinata was left staring into an empty store, the sounds of the city behind him with the soft hum of the store's music in front of him. 

"Oh, man… " Hinata squeaked. "Oh man, oh man, oh, man! Crap !" Hinata dashed inside and started scrambling at the register before realizing there was no one there to be taken care of. He relaxed, his lips pressed together nervously as he gripped the front of his shirt. A small candy bar along the counter caught his eye. 

"That's Natsu's favorite-" he realized he hadn't told his little sister the news yet. He dashed to the phone on the wall, tying the apron around his waist, not particularly caring that it went well past his knees and strings dragged across the ground. He waited for a few seconds before hanging up. "Right… she's in school right now. Darn." He picked up the phone to call his mother but realized she was busy too.

With a heavy sigh, Hinata jumped into the plush folding chair Ukai sat in and laid his head on the table next to it. The clock on the other side of the store ticked slowly by as the soft music of the store mixed with the hum of the fridge. Hinata watched the dust dance in the sunlight while a car occasionally rolled by. Growing ever deeper into mind-numbing boredom, Hinata jumped up from his chair and started sweeping. At first, it was only the general isles and behind the counter. Then he started cleaning the edges where the dust bunnies hid. He quickly became engrossed in the work that he nearly jumped out of his skin when the doorbell chimed. 

"Hey! Little runner boy, how's it going!" Hinata turned around to see Tanaka, grinning wearing a thick black leather jacket and fingerless gloves. That, combined with his greasy jeans and biker boots, made Hinata think are far less friendly faces. Still, he put on his warmest smile.

"Hey, Tanaka. Sorry I didn't get your package to you. I got sidetracked." The biker punched Hinata's shoulder gently and ruffled the cloud of orange hair. 

"No sweat, kid. I needed to take my new baby out for a test ride anyway. Just stopped by to.fill up my own tank." Tanaka then started perusing the aisle while he kept one thumb looped through his studded leather belt. Hinata jumped behind the counter, watching the biker with wide, nervous eyes. Tanaka glanced up from one of the isles with a few meat sticks and a drink. “Fuck, kid! You gotta stop with the creepy eyes. You're gonna scare the nonregulars.” 

“Oh, sorry. The store has regulars?” Hinata asked, to which Tanaka nodded absentmindedly while he looked at the magazines along the front of the store. 

“Yeah, few rough types like me, but the rest are pretty chill. We run into each other occasionally so I can speak for them. Ukai runs a tight ship here, so don’t let them try and pull you over for getting free stuff. Except for me because he and I have a special connection.” Tanaka winked before laughing at Hinata’s confused and doubting expression. “I’m joking with ya. The regulars know what's up, so don’t worry. You should watch out for the locals and cops, though. They can be a piece of work.” 

“I’ve noticed.” Tanaka plucked a girly magazine along with heavy gear and engine pamphlets and quickly tossed the items onto the counter. Hinata glanced up at the biker’s blush before Tanaka huffed loudly and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Ya got something to say, new guy? It’s from my girlfriend- I mean, she’s not really my girlfriend, but I’ve seen her… just put it in the bag.” Tanaka snatched the girly magazine and shoved it into the bag before letting out a sigh of relief. “You didn't see anything, got it?” Hinata shivered at the ugly glare the biker gave him and quickly rang up his order. Tanaka frowned. 

“I-is something wrong?” Hinata stammered, looking between him and the register. Tanaka leaned over the counter before chuckling. 

“Stupid, you gotta press this button so I can pay.” He pressed the button and the drawer opened. Hinata blushed.

“Right. I-I knew that-”

“You know you can ask for help, kid.” Tanaka laughed, ruffling Hinata’s hair again. “I’m on lunch anyway, so if you need someone to show you the ropes I’d love to help.” 

“You worked here?” Hinata asked in shock, his eyes shining with relief. Tanaka grinned and threw Hinata a flashy thumbs up. 

“Hells, yeah! Ukai helped me learn the ropes to basic customer service and money management so I could buy my own shop, the one you were dropping the shit off at. He hasn’t changed much so I can break out the old cobwebs and help.” Hinata's eyes widened with excitement as they exchanged currency. 

“That’s your shop?” Tanaka puffed his chest in pride. 

“Yep, my pride and joy. I’ve only had it for like a year, so I’m busting my ass every fucking day for like eighteen hours, but I love it. Someday I wanna open up my own company building motorcycles, but that ain’t gonna happen any time soon.” Tanaka opened up one of his snacks and began munching on it. “So, hit me, little man. What can you do to run this little shop?”

“Well…” Hinata explained the situation, Tanaka choking on his snack. 

“Man, Ukai is just a jerk anymore! Just ran off on you on your first day?” He took a long gulp of his drink before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Right, let’s get started.” He showed Hinata how to work the register until he mastered it. It took three angry customers and one sweet old lady to get the little orange-haired man to get comfortable, but Tanaka was patient. He glared down all three of the angry customers, so Hinata wouldn’t. Next, he showed Hinata where everything was stocked and the schedule for deliveries. 

“You shouldn’t have to worry too much about this because Ukai should take care of this part. Still, at least you know in case you need to order an extra shipment or something.” The biker glanced at his watch and cursed. “Shit! They probably left already.” Tanaka grabbed a pre-packaged rice ball from the shelf and waved as he bolted out of the door. Once again, Hinata found himself on the precipice of abject boredom. Glancing at the clock has tried to call his sister again. 

"Hello?" His sister’s voice chimed, the hesitance evident in her tired voice. 

"Natsu! I got a job. Not just one, but two jobs!" His grin beamed through his soul when he heard the excited gasp from his sister. 

"Oh my gosh, Shoyo! You did it! You did it, mom and I can come be with you!" Jonathan's smile faulted for a moment before his sister's infectious giggle forced the grin back o to his lips. 

"Soon, sis, soon. I don't have an apartment of my own yet, but when I get paid, I'll have enough for one! Yeah, my boss is amazing!"

"Tell me, tell me!" The two siblings talked excitedly to one another, Hinata almost bouncing on the balls of his feet behind the counter. He talked in detail about the kind people he had met while also leaving out details that would make her worry. She didn't need to know about him sleeping in the back closet or almost getting arrested. When he finishes, Natsu talked about her school. She asked if he had to hang up soon, but he consoled her by stating he could talk as much as she wanted. 

"That's amazing, Shoyo! I've missed you so much." Jonathan's eyes welled up in tears, and he had to take a deep breath to keep his voice even. 

"Miss you too, Natsu." There was a short pause before someone cleared their throat. Hinata jumped and spun around, entangling himself in the phone cord. A man with blond hair and black roots stood shyly on the other side of the counter. His pricing yellow eyes reminded Hinata of an alley cat he had run into once. The man was dressed in a comfortable red hoodie and sweatpants with a white mask over his face. 

"Sorry to bother you. I just wanted some snacks…" the man said in a soft whisper. Hinata nodded and have a quick goodbye to his sister. 

"I'm so sorry about that. I was just talking to my little sister, and she got all excited about school." Hinata began talking excitedly about his little sister to the stranger, laughing at each one-word response the customer gave him. When Hinata finished his transaction, he beamed at the customer. "Thank you for coming in. Have a great day!" The customer grimaced behind his mask but watched Hinata with curiosity. 

"I haven't seen you here before. What's your name?" The man asked in a slightly louder voice. He wasn't shrinking away from Hinata anymore, but he still kept a comfortable distance. Hinata frowned in confusion. 

"I'm Hinata Shoyo, I just started working for Ukai today." The cat-eyed man stared at Hinata, making the orange-haired man shift uncomfortably. "So, what's your name? I mean, I wanna get to know the regulars, so maybe we can be friends." The last word made the stranger's eyes widen in shock before Hinata noticed the faintest of blushes in his cheeks. 

"Its… it's Kenma." Hinata beamed, clashing his hands together excitedly. 

"That's a really cool name- no way! You like Monster Hunter too?" Hinata pointed at the patch on Kenma's hoodie, causing the bi-colored haired man to blush even more brightly. 

"Y-yeah. It’s fun." Hinata pumping his fist in the air in excitement. 

"My character is totally badass. He goes like slash! And then the monsters all go, ahhhhh! So then its like, Woah!" Kenma watched and listen to Hinata talk about Monster Hunter for another half an hour, the two men starting to enjoy one another's company. 

"Oh, I have to go." Kenma sighed after his phone started ringing. "Here is my gamer tag if you want to play… or something." Kenma scribbled along with a notepad on the counter and pushed it towards Hinata. 

"Thanks! I’ll jump on as soon as I can. Have a good day!" It was almost dark now as Kenma disappeared down the sidewalk. A thing of guilt shot through Hinata's chest as he thought about how he might never be able to keep that promise. Shoulders slumping, Hinata settled into his chair before a small group of high schoolers walked in. They were respectful for the most part, but they messed up more than half the isles choosing what after school snack they wanted. They went through quickly, leaving Hinata to watch the sky turn from a soft blue to orange and red. 

"Hey, Headband! You got any more energy drinks and fruit for Asahi?" Hinata looked up from sweeping his isle to see a man about his height glaring at the empty counter. He was wearing scrubs and sneakers with a small badge already hanging off his neck. The stranger's spiky hair made him seem even taller and more wild than his attitude. "Oi, Ukai! You back there or taking a massive shit again."

"It's only me, sir. Ukai is out." Hinata spike up. The customer yelled and fell on his ass. Hinata could now see that his expression was even more energetic than his voice. He had a blond ruff of hair sticking out in the middle of his forehead that somehow made his eyes look a little more electrifying. Hinata watched helplessly as the man's eyes narrowed. 

"You scared the shit out of me, man. You can't sneak up on me like that." Hinata watched as the man rolled backward until he was able to stand on his hands, following the roll with a jump into the air and landing squarely on his feet. "So, who are you? Where's the old Headband at? You got any energy drinks because Asahi and I are looking at a ball breaker of a shift." The man started rushing around the isles before Hinata could even answer his question. "My name's Nishinoya Yuu, but you can call me Noya. I work at the clinic up the street, so I come here a lot. Oh shit! I haven't had these in a while." 

"Um, my name is Hinata Shoyo. Ukai stepped out for a moment, but he should be back soon." Hinata watched as Noya climbed the fridge doors to reach one of the energy drinks. Hinata turned when he heard a snicker.

"Need a step ladder, kid." A man asked, mockingly strutting forward and picking the last energy drink Noya had been struggling to get. The smaller man growled and turned on his heel to glare up at the man.

"How about I put you in a coffin, huh? Give me the drink before I put you under." Noya set his leg behind him and dropped his weight, looking ready to tackle the guy. The larger man just laughed and pulled out a police badge. Both Noya and Hinata froze while the off duty officer grinned. 

"Threatening a police officer in this city? Don't think you have to guess how far that's gonna go." He reached into his pocket and shoved the cash at Hinata without breaking eye contact with Noya. "Watch yourself, kid. This ain't a place where you can run your mouth like that. I'm gonna be nice tonight and let you off with a warning." With that, the cop left with the slugfest grin on his face. He did not have to look back to know that Hinata was holding Nishinoya back and standing between the two men. 

"Noya, it isn't worth it. I can go in the back and see if we have some more." Hinata tried to reason, despite Noya rolling up what little sleeves he had. 

"The bastard is gonna pay. The only way to stop fucking bullies is to stand up to them. I'm gonna show him I can do more than run my mouth-" a radio in Noya's pants chirped, a male voice coming over. 

"We have multiple patients from the ER overflow. Where are you?" Noya instantly snatched the radio and began talking into it.

"On my way, Asahi. Just dealing with the Dickheads." He nodded to Hinata in thanks. "I'll be back to pick up more drinks later. Thank God you guys never close." Noya ran out of the store, talking into the radio as he ran down the street. Hinata was rooted in place as he stared out at the closing doors. 

"Never… close?" He glanced at the clock, flopping onto the floor in utter defeat when he saw it was only six in the evening. He eventually picked himself up and.slouched behind the counter in a desensitized state of numbness. A few more customers came through firming the next three hours, but they are seemed to be just and uninterested as Hinata was to be in that store. It was almost ten when something happened. 

Hinata had been dozing at the empty counter without a single customer for a while when the door opened. Hinata jolted awake and glanced at the door. 

"Oh, welcome-" He froze when his eyes met a pair of dark blue ones that pierced something in his soul. Giant's back straightened, and his words died on his lips. The man wore a tight-fitting black face mask with a dark blue ball cap, grey hoodie and black sweatpants with a white stripe down the sides. His running shoes were a shocking white compared to his outfit. Even though the man's baggy clothes, he could tell the man took pride in his appearance and worked out a lot. They stared at one another for a long moment before the customer turned away and began walking towards the milk aisle. 

Hinata sat in his chair, his heart pounding in a way he had almost forgotten. He placed his hand over his heart in confusion, trying to remember why he remembered such a feeling. Then he remembered and sighed heavily. He had been playing with his old teammates back in middle school, and they had gone up against a tough team. There was one person in particular who seemed a little outcast from the rest. He had moved at a different pace, played as if his life depended on it. He seemed to act as if the very rules of the game were meant to be broken. It excited him despite losing badly that day. Since that day, he had never felt that same rush of excitement. 

He was snapped out of his memories when a carton of milk slammed in the counter. The man glared down at Hinata with money held out. Hinata frowned in confusion at the customer's choice. 

"I-Is that all, sir?" Hinata stutter, picking up the carton and scanning it. The man snorted. 

"Does it look like I want anything, carrot top ?" He snapped before shifting nervously and holding out the money more insistently. "Yeah, that's it. You don't need to put it In a bag." Hinata nodded, taking the money and pushing the carton to the man. They stood there for a moment, two men watching the other as if they recognized the other but were not sure from where. 

"Do I… know you?" Hinata stammered, a faint blush creeping into his cheeks. The other man's eyes widened, and Hinata could have sworn he saw the masked man's cheeks grow a slightly dark shade of pink. Without answering, the man bolted out the door with his milk and left Hinata wondering with his hand still resting over the counter. 

He leaned back In his chair, staring at his hand where the stranger's fingers had brushed them. It felt as if tiny bugs were crawling under his skin but not in an unpleasant way. He sat on the feeling for hours, listening to the store music and the soft hum if the refrigerators. He found his eyes growing heavy as the AM hours slowly crept forward until he couldn't keep them open anymore. Shaking himself, he curled up on the chair while using the apron as a sort of blanket. He watched the storefront blur as exhaustion began taking him over.

Before he fell asleep, the doors opened to reveal a ruffled and tired looking Ukai. His cigarette hung precariously out of his mouth while his coat was dusty and wrinkled. Even his combed-back hair was sticking out in little riffs from his headband. Hinata jumped up from his seat when Ukai looked over at him. 

"Sorry, sir, I was falling asleep-"

"It’s my fault, kid. I was out a little later than I should have been, so thanks for holding down the fort." He tossed the cigarette into the designated trash can and walked into the store. "Go catch some shut-eye. You've earned it." Hinata untied the apron and handed it back to the blond-haired man, to which Ukai nodded tiredly to. Hinata slipped into the back, where he was surprised to find that Ukai had prepared him a place to sleep. Toiletries, a change of clothes, a plush sleeping bag and blankets with a new pillow with pillowcase. He poked his head out of the room. 

"Thank you, sir- "

"Go to bed!" Hinata yelped as a balled-up newspaper, hit the wall next to his face, and shut the door. Hinata panted with his back to the closed door before a smile crept into his lips. Falling into the bed, Hinata had the best night of sleep he had in years. 

______

"Hinata, we need three black coffees and one with three sugar and one cream," Ennoshita called, pressing himself against the counter as Hinata rushed behind him. "Damn, dude. You just got off an eight-hour shift with Ukai and still have this much energy?"

"I'm just happy to be working, and I always do my best, no matter what," Hinata called as he poured the order into the cups. It had been almost two weeks since he first joined Ennoshita's team, and he had learned not to spill coffee over his uniform. Ennoshita shook his head in disbelief. 

"You are something else, that's for sure." Hinata beamed as he finished the order and slid it across the counter. He was surprised to see Sugawara smiling at him across the counter. 

"Hey, Hinata! How's it going?" Hinata grinned and accepted the hair fiddling from the college student. 

"It's been great! Thank you so much for getting me this job." He glanced at the two taller men on either side of Suga, shrinking back slightly. Suga nodded the change before laughing. 

"Oh, these are my friends. The big scary looking guy is Asahi, and this is Daichi." He pointed at the men he named, the two men smiling warmly. 

"Good to finally meet this Hinata guy Suga has been worrying overall week. Daichi Sawamura, an officer for the prefecture." Hinata stiffened at the mention of his career before the man leaned in and whispered, "Suga and Tsuki explained the situation. You don't have to worry about anything with me." He winked and leaned back. Hinata relaxed.

"I know you guys are friends and all, but you are holding up the line." Ennoshita sighed in annoyance. Suga glanced back before chuckling sheepishly and picking up the coffees. "Hinata can take his break in ten minutes. I’ll send him over." 

"Thanks, Ennoshita. You are the best." Suga complimented both Daichi and Asahi dropping a few bills into the tip jar. Ennoshita nodded to Hinata as a pretty blond girl rushed to the counter.

"I need-" 

"You need a mocha and mint latte, three pumps of syrup, and two pumps of chocolate with a black medium ice coffee, right?" Ennoshita chuckled, ringing up the order. "I know one of Kiyoko's assistance anywhere."

"You know her?" The blond asked incredulously. Hinata thought her rather pretty with short boon cut with a small blow on the side, dressed in a pressed business top with a tasteful grey skirt and flats. Ennoshita nodded.

"She used to come in until about three days ago. You are Yachi, right?" The blond nodded."Yeah, she's a bit intense when she works, but you don't have to kill yourself over coffee." The blond sighed as Hinata placed The two coffees in front of her.

"She's just so cool. Graduated early from law school to take over her father's firm at twenty-two? I'm just trying to be like her." Hinata tilted his head to the side.

"Why don't you just try and be yourself? You can be so much happier if you did, and you might get more opportunities that she didn't." He pointed out. Ennoshita smirked at Hinata while Yacji's jaw hit the floor. Her face exploded into a deep red and hid behind the coffee tray, nearly spilling it on herself.

"Oh, no! That can't be true, but…" she lowered the tray, the blush fading slightly. "That's the first time anyone has said that to me." It was Hinata's turn to turn into a blushing, stammering mess. 

"Well, you see, I don't think it’s fair to try and copy anyone. Because then it might feel like you never get an accomplishment that you can feel proud of. Because with feel as if its for someone else… or something." He stumbled along with his words long enough that Ennoshita had to point to the other waiting customers. "Anyway, have a good day! Good luck with your boss." 

"Oh, yeah! Have a good day, Hinata." Yacht waved as she stumbled her way out the door, almost dropping the coffee as she climbed into her car. Hinata found himself staring at her slim waist and lean legs before Ennoshita nudged him. 

"Way to go, Romeo. Try and get her number next time." He teased. Jonathan's face exploded in a bright red as he noticed Suga whispering to Daichi and Asahi as they glanced over at him with teasing grins. Hinata busied himself with his work and tried to work the heat in his face and ears.

He wiped his hands on his tan apron, finding it a much better fit than Ukai's bit still left him looking small. He had bought a new pair of clothes with the advance Ukai had given him on his paycheck along with a comfortable pair of running shoes. He even got to get a haircut earlier that day, so his hair was softer and healthier than I ever. With the food, he was now able to buy he was starting to regain weight, some of his muscles also growing with the on-foot deliveries and stocking the store and shop. 

Ennoshita and Hinata went on break at the same time, their replacements happy to take over the quieter rush hours. Hinata jumped into the booth next to Sugawara, and Ennoshita quickly followed to trap the young orange-haired man. Daichi and Asahi sipped their coffees, both men welcoming Hinata into their circle without hesitation. 

"If you don't mind me asking, Asahi, what do you do?" Hinata asked after overhearing Sugawara and Daichi talk about their jobs. Asahi smiled sheepishly, tilting his head down modestly. 

"I just work at a clinic-"

"Come on, don't be shy, Asahi. You own the clinic now." Sugawara complained, smacking Asahi's head and lacking Asahi clutch his head. 

"Only because my mom got too old to keep it herself. I'm still working on my official doctorate…" Asahi started muttering before Diachi elbowed him. 

"You are more than halfway there. You are better than any general practice doc I've ever met." He patted Asahi's shoulder, who looked as if he would rather pour the still-steaming coffee on his face than continue to talk about the clinic or his doctorate. Ennoshita took up the slack in the conversation and slid Hinata an envelope. 

"The moment you have been waiting for. Your first paycheck with me." Jonathan's eyes sparkled at the envelope, handling it gingerly as if were made of mist and would disappear. " I can't speak for Ukai, but I hope it gives you something to out a way for your little sister." Hinata peaked inside and passed out. He found himself in the back of a car with Suga gently fanning his face with a black fan while Asahi freaked out in the front seat next to Daichi, who seemed to be trying to drive while calming down Asahi. 

"We should take him to the clinic. Check his blood sugar and see if he might be suffering for diabetes or malnutrition. Wait, why did you pass it!" Hinata watched as a vein in Daichi's arm bulged. 

"He just passed out from the shock. The kid probably hasn't had a paycheck before and got too excited. Relax and let me drive." Suga gently helped Hinata sit up with a gentle smile, patting his head and leaning back against the window. Asahi fiddled with his wallet.

"Still, he can always get looked at in my clinic-" Daichi pressed his palm into Asahi's face and pushed him away. 

"Shut up and let me drive, Asahi. Tell him yourself when he wakes up." Hinata blinked.the last of the cobwebs out of his mind, realizing he was still clutching the check-in his left hand. 

"I'm ok, really. Where are you taking me?" Hinata watched as the building flew by, realizing they were in the richer commercial area of the city with towering skyscrapers. Suga smiled as he ignored the quarreling men in the front seat. 

"It's a surprise." A mischievous glint in Suga's eyes did not help Hinata's nerves. He glanced down and realized he was no longer wearing his apron. He worried that the simple black t-shirt and jeans would be appropriate for wherever they were taking him before something out his window caught his eye. More accurately, someone. 

Hinata knew it was the milk guy because no one could have such piercing blue eyes that matched their scowl. His hair also flowed effortlessly the wind while his black and navy blue workout clothes were almost identical to the hoodie and pants he had worn before. However, with the late July heat, the guy was nearly forced to wear a sleeveless workout shirt and shorts. Hinata watched as his arms and legs pumped together with perfect fluidity, his chest puffing up and down as he forced air through his lungs. His face was slightly red with desertion, but no one could mistake the intense concentration on those dark blue orbs that seemed to draw Hinata in like black holes. Hinata hadn't realized he had been staring until Sugawara snickered. 

"Wow, little tiger. You might scare the ladies off with that look." Hinata's face blew up in a deep blush but didn't respond. Instead, he turned around in his seat to catch one final look at the stranger before he disappeared into the crowd. "Someone, you know?" Suga asked. 

"I don't know. Maybe?" He turned around to face the front, both Asahi and Daichi looking back at him curiously. Who is he? Hinata asked himself over and over until the car pulled into a small parking garage. The cars around them were far more expensive than Daichi's little four-door. Corvette, Dodge Chargers, Lamborghini's, and dozens of other cars Hinata could not even identify. The other three men stepped out of the car while Hinata sat in the back in confusion. Asahi leaned down and opened the door, looking at Hinata curiously. 

"What's wrong? Not feeling well?" Hinata shook his head and stepped out. 

"No, I just don't know what's going on." Suga grinned and ruffled Hinata's hair. 

"Daichi is gonna get you and your family set up with a proper bank account." Hinata froze before clenching his hands into fists. 

"That's not any of your business-" Daichi pulled Hinata behind the car and out of sight, putting him in a chokehold so he could whisper in Hinata's ear. 

"Listen, Hinata. I know its an invasion of your privacy, but we needed to do it. No one in this city will take your money if you don't come from a bank. Just like an ID, it separated you from what cops and government officials consider trash. It’s not fair; it’s not right, but its how it is for now, so unless you want to end up on the street with no job or money, I recommend you swallow your pride and let us help you." Hinata froze as terror stripped through his body. Idaho's whispering brought on memories far worse than the bathroom had. Daichi noticed Hinata's shaking, quickly releasing him but not entirely letting him go. He turned Hinata around so the two men could look one another in the eyes, Daichi resting his hands on Hinata's shoulders.

"You aren't giving me a choice." Hinata's voice trembled. These men, he considered friends, were forcing him to humiliate himself and, more importantly, his family, without regard to his feelings. The sharp knife of betrayal ached in Hinata's back as it opened old scars that should have stayed forgotten. Daichi's expression softened. 

"Only because we actually care about what happens to you and your family. You work hard and care for people no matter where they come from. You treat everyone with respect even if they don't deserve it. We are giving you a choice-"

"Then, I don't want your help." Hinata snapped, his piercing brown eyes glaring into Daichi's. "You act like I'm helpless and need protection, but I don't. I can take care of my little sister and mom on my own. I told you, I'm not joining whatever gang you and Sugawara have been trying to drag me into." Daichi released Hinata, looking doubtful at Hinata's claim, but the man's conviction was unshakeable.

"How about we set one up for you? That way, you can send money to your sister, and we won't involve them at all?" Suga chimed in. Hinata turned and looked at Suga in surprise while the college student just smiled. "Get you some sort of credit card, make you your own man so you can prove you can take care of your mom and sister in court if it ever comes to that. God forbid." Hinata nodded slowly.

"Yeah… yeah, that sounds like a good idea." He would die before he went to court, but if it ever had to be for his sister, he would go there without hesitation. "If it keeps Nasty safe and fed, I'll do it. But this doesn't mean I owe you anything."

"They call it a gift because there are no strings attached, Hinata." Asahi assured. Hinata sighed before bowing to Daichi. 

"I'm sorry for my outburst." Daichi chuckled, pulling out his badge from under his shirt and patted Hinata's shoulder. 

"You are just protecting your family. I can't be mad at you for that." He nodded to Suga and Asahi. "We should be done in a few hours. Can you get it done?" The two men nodded, and both turned in different directions and walked away. Hinata watched them go in confusion. 

"Where are they-" Daichi wrapped his arm around Hinata's shoulders and began dragging him to an underground entrance. 

"You said you weren't going to be a part of it, so you don't get to ask questions. Not that I would tell you because you are still learning the ropes to this city." He smirked down at Hinata before pulling him through the door and into a bank's well-lit lobby. Hinata's eyes widened as he looked around the lobby, in awe of everything he saw. From the great vaulted curling with a copy of the Michelangelo in the ceiling to the intricately carved white marble columns supported by a polished black marble floor. Businessmen and women walked all around the lobby, most on their phones or talking with someone else. Everyone was dressed in a business casual attire that made Hinata's and Daichi's t-shirt, and pants looked sloppy. 

"Can I help you?" A security guard asked, his thick body blocking Hinata's view. He stumbled back, hiding behind Daichi as the security guard peered down at Hinata. 

"We are here to meet Kenma, Kai. Kuroo was supposed to call." The security officer glanced at Daichi's badge and turned off his radio. He sighed and relaxed, looking much less intimidating than he had seconds before. 

"You and Kuroo both have a death wish. If the investigation even comes up with anything connecting you, this whole thing goes down." Daichi nodded. 

"We know." He leaned forward and whispered something into the security's ear before leaning back. "He in his office?"

"Always." The guard leads Hinata and Daichi, a special elevator that Hinata hadn't seen anyone come in or out of. It looked slightly more plain than the others with a simple silver door and flooring. It wasn't spacious, so the three men had to deal with nearly touching each other almost the entire way up to the third to last floor. Once the elevators opened, the guard bowed and gestured towards a pair of double glass doors. "He's in a bad mood today with Kuroo being gone."

"Great." Daichi grumbled, "Thanks, Kai. We need to have a beer at some point." 

"I'd like that. Bring that Asahi guy around more too." They laughed at an inside joke while Hinata was left standing awkwardly between them staring at the door. Daichi dragged Hinata out by his arm gently and approached the door. Without so much as knocking, he opened one of the glass doors and pulled Hinata inside. 

"Hey, Kenma. We aren't late for the appointment, are we?" Hinata gasped. 

"You are Kenma!" The man in the hoodie vying snacks looked nothing like the gentleman sitting behind fiberglass desk now save for the emotionless frown and bi-colored hair. Kenma was dressed in a light grey suit with a red tie, his hair pinned back from his face with a very dignified posture. He had several monitors stacked on top of one another with what sounded like even more computers whirring under the giant desk that made Kenma look like a child sitting on the other side of a boat. Kenma's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly recovered. 

"Oh, so it's you." He began typing away on his keyboard so fast Hinata could hardly see his fingers. "Hi, Daichi. You two can have a seat." Hinata was floored by the discovery so much he was utterly speechless. Daichi explained the situation while Kenma listened intently. 

"And he got his first check today, so I figured now was a good time to start." Kenma turned his attention to Hinata, who frowned.

"I've gotten everything set up. I just need your ID, the check, and this information." He pushed a small questionnaire at Hinata while the orange-haired man handed him the rest. Kenma then explained how debit and credit cards worked, what his options were, and various other legal information Hinata needed. 

"Um, Kenma? Maybe I can explain this to him later…" Daichi said nervously as he watched Hinata slowly crumble into a ball of overworked nerves and confusion. 

"I'm fine...this just doesn't make sense." Kenma frowned before his eyes lit up.

"Think of a credit card as taking resources from a monster before you kill it because you really want that sword, but you aren't high enough to kill the monster." The cloud of confusion lifted from Hinata's eyes as Kenma started making video game references to explain everything. Daichi watched in awe as Hinata soaked up seemingly random analogies like a sponge. 

"Ok, I just need to out in the check…" Kenma glanced down at the check and fell silent. He instantly glared daggers at Daichi before typing furiously on the keyboard. Hinata frowned.

"What are you doing?" Kenma didn't look up from his screen as he answered. 

"Giving you a usable donation that the Crows seem to leave out." Daichi stiffened.

"He isn't a part- "

"I know. Which is why I'm donating my own money." Kenma interrupted, Hinata still reeling from the initial shock. "But I expect you to play monster Hunter with me soon. Maybe a phone game too." 

"Kenma, I can't accept-" Kenma turned one of the smallest monitors around, showing Hinata having over fifty thousand American dollars. Daichi slapped Hinata before he could pass out. "I can't accept this!"

"It’s fine. I make that every night when I do a live stream," Kenma said dismissively. Daichi whistled.

"Then hell do you put up with Kuroo and this job with that kind of money?" He asked. Kenma shrugged. 

"Because I can." With that, the conversation ended, and Daichi half-carried Hinata out the room as Hinata moaned about money. Kenma walked to the door and watched the two men walk into the elevator. “When you get your new apartment, please get a spare bedroom for gaming.” He closed the door, leaving Hinata nearly slumped over in Daichi’s arms. Daichi patted Hinata’s cheek, earning a soft moan. 

“Hinata? Dude, you gotta get yourself together. We can’t walk out of here like this.” Hinata nodded and stood on his own, although he swayed slightly. "You ok? I didn't expect him to do anything other than streamline your application, but man… fifty grand?" 

"I can buy so many meat buns for Natsu…" Hinata breathed. Daichi bit back a burst of snorting laughter, covering it with a cough as the doors opened. 

"Well, you have a few other expenses that need to be taken care of before you buy out a meat bun factory. You need an apartment, food, pay utilities…" Hinata barely listened as Daichi explained the responsibilities of adulthood. He had learned a small portion of the things Daichi was teaching, but for the most part, it was overwhelming. By the time they had returned to the car, Hinata felt as if someone had liquefied his brain into mush. Daichi paused at the car door when his phone went off. 

"Suga, what's- stay there, I'm on my way." He ended the call and looked at Hinata. "I'm leaving the car with you. Promise not to steal it?" Hinata shook his head before catching the keys Daichi tossed to him over the car. "If I'm not back in two hours, call Ukai!" 

"But I don't have… a phone." Hinata shouted out to Daichi before he disappeared around a corner. He assumed the officer didn't hear him as he sighed and sat in the front seat. He ran his finger along with the cracked plastic of the dashboard. The car smelled like a mix of cleaner and stale coffee, but Hinata welcomed the smell. It was better than blood and cigarette smoke he had gotten used to in the past. His mind wandered, and a memory dragged him under.   
__________

_"Hurry up, Hinata. We gonna get our asses caught if you don't hurry up." Hinata turned his skeleton key in the door lock, careful not to leave traces of his tool or DNA. The thick gloves were hard to work in, but he couldn't risk getting caught for rushing the job._

_"Shut up, I said I could do this…" Hinata tried hard to keep from trembling, but I meet of his mother, finding his pillaging the closet left him rattled. Three bottles of high-grade Adderall was not the worst thing he had ever felt in but convincing his mother that he was not selling them had been the worst thing he ever had to do. "You promise… this is the last break-in?"_

_"Yeah, cops getting too close. We get rid of this dealer you and I corner the entire town." Hinata sat in the front passenger seat. The cracked plastic of the rival dealer's car matched the pile of trash that littered the floor, making Hinata wince as his feet crunched along the floorboards. He opened the glove compartment and held his hand out. The older man grinned._

_"I think five pounds of heroin should keep him locked up for a minute. Shouldn't be hard to keep a Mad Dog in the kennel where he belongs. Nice work, Hinata, you get to pay your sister's food bill."_

__________

Hinata jumped out of the car as if someone had shocked him into life. He locked the car almost as an afterthought as he quickly separated him and the car as if the I meet could be left behind. He kept his head down as he paced between the lines of parked cars. Without thinking about it, his mind ranked each one on the black market price if he were to steal them now. He slapped both sides of his face.

"Pull yourself together, Shoyo! You don't need to do that anymore." He quickened his pace with his eyes on the ground. 

"Hey!" Hinata looked up just in time to be almost tackled by another man. Hinata rolled along the ground, watching as a car screeched to a stop just past where Hinata had been standing. His back scraped painfully along with the concrete on the parking garage with the heavyweight of his lifesaver crushing him into the ground. When they stopped rolling, the man scrambled to his feet while Hinata sprawled on his back. "You fucking moron. Are you trying to get yourself killed?" Hinata blinked in confusion before he was on his feet. 

"You trying to kill me, huh? I was watching where I was going, then some milk crazed workaholic tackled me to the ground." The taller man peered down at Hinata, his scowl turning into a sneer. 

"I just assumed that they couldn't see that little carrot top of yours because you were so short." Hinata stood up on his toes and tried to glare at the man at eye level, discovering he would need a box to do so properly. 

"I'm not short, you just have too much milk." The man huffed and rolled his eyes.

"Would you stop with the milk stuff? I buy a carton every day; it's not that bad. You didn't deny that you are short, though moron."

"Hey, I have a name! And that's way too much milk for one person." Hinata shouted, putting his hands on his.good. The taller man rolled his eyes. 

"Yeah, Ukai, right? That's your name." He said the name as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. 

"No, its Shoyo Hinata." The other man froze, eyes widening in recognition before turning on his heel and walking away. Hinata blinked in surprise before chasing after him, grabbing his upper arm to stop him. "Hey, who are you?" The man paused before glaring down at Hinata. 

"Kageyama Tobio." 


	3. New Place; New Life; New Friends in Strange Places

“Who is Kageyama Tobio?” Hinata asked Daichi as they climbed the stairs to his new apartment. Despite the overwhelming excitement, Hinata could not get the name out of his head. The way Kageyama looked at him as if they knew each other, but Hinata could not recall from where. The closest thing he could think of was the one game back in middle school when he had played against that insanely skilled volleyball player. They couldn’t be the same person, Hinata thought. 

Daichi paused in the landing, the flicking light of the emergency exit casting a sharp white light behind him to offer almost a backlit halo. He frowned, leaning against the peeling wall with his arms crossed over his chest. The officer had just gotten off work; his hair still slicked back with a tight white undershirt and jeans giving him a domineering aura. His bulging arms did not help to lessen the aura of protector Daichi seemed to exhume like sweat. 

“He’s from the Kageyama family, the most prominent political family in the city. The grandfather was one of the last good mayors this town had before it drifted back into the hellhole it is today. Kageyama Kazuyo was his name, I think. His son, the current mayor, is running for governor this upcoming election cycle. From the rumors I’ve heard, Tobio Kageyama is trying to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps.” Daichi pinched his chin in thought. “He might win if he could gather enough funds or figure out how to run his campaign. He seems to be the most sincere about helping out the crucified members of society, but he just can’t seem to get any traction with anyone who isn’t paying close attention. Why are you asking about him?” 

“Oh, I ran into him in the parking lot the other day. He saved my life.” Daichi looked down at Hinata with surprise. 

“How is it that you meet such influential people without even trying?” Hinata rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. 

“I don’t know. I guess it’s my hidden talent?” Daichi laughed and patted Hinata’s shoulder. 

“Something like that. Come on, let’s get that apartment of yours ready for the party.” Hinata stumbled up the stairs in confusion.

“Party?” Hinata asked with a frown. Daichi just winked back and led him up the landing and into the hall where his apartment; which would soon become his new home.

Ukai had instructed Hinata to get an apartment the same week he received his bank account, but after two weeks of searching, Daichi suggested a place not far from both the coffee shop and the convenience store. It wasn’t quite the ghetto with gangs hanging out in the halls, but it wasn’t comfortable. Pipes that leaked suspicious liquids, lights that flickered ominously, the occasional drunken banging, or lush stumbling their way down the stairs or halls was not exactly a place Hinata wanted to have his sister call home. The elevators seemed permanently in need of repair, but Daichi swore that it was the safest apartment complex on the block. 

“I only get called here once a month or so with some drunk making too much noise. Maybe a druggy being stupid. Trust me; it’s a great place for when your mom and sister come here to visit. Or are they moving in with you?” Daichi asked as they walked closer to Hinata’s apartment. 

“Last week, my mom got her dream job at the clinic, so they want to stay until Natsu finishes middle school. So when I get up enough money for the bus ticket, I’m going to visit them.” Hinata glanced at his door number one hundred and ten, sighing. “I miss them, but it’s for the best. I don’t want Natsu around a town like this if she’s going to be targeted and miserable.” Daichi nodded, handing Hinata the keys to his apartment. 

“Maybe you can help change that.” Hinata didn’t respond to the hint in Daichi’s voice. He hadn’t changed his mind about staying out of the secret little gang his friends had formed. He just wanted to live a clean life after getting out of prison. Once he opened the door, he was blinded by the light and a dozen exploding poppers with ribbons. 

“Welcome home, Shoyo Hinata!” The crowd cheered, making Hinata jump back in surprise. Suga leaped forward from the gathered crowd before Hinata could process the scene before him. The college student strapped a party hat to his head and beamed. 

“There, now the party can really start.” Hinata looked past Suga to see at the small crowd that had gathered. Asahi stood next to Noya behind Suga, raising his cup in a quiet greeting. Noya was still popping off ribbon poppers with Tanaka, both cheering for Hinata long after the initial shock had faded. Tsukishima was leaning against the far wall with a drink in his hand, looking as if he would rather have been anywhere else. Ukai and Takeda stood behind the initial crowd, Ukai already looking intoxicated with Takeda not far behind. Kenma sat in the chair next to Tsuki, playing his video game with a party hat sitting haphazardly on the side of his head with a small noisemaker between his lips. Even Ennoshita was in the kitchen, the smell of fresh meat buns making Hinata’s mouth water. 

“Glad you made it. I was starting to worry that I couldn’t keep these guys away from the meat buns.” Ennoshita laughed, kicking Noya as he attempted to snatch a fresh snack from the small trey on the counter. Hinata stepped fully into his apartment, impressed at how much space it had for the price he paid. Most of the fifty thousand went to his mom and sister, who managed to pay off the last of the school debts with the money. The rest was taken to set up Hinata’s savings account and rent. He expected to sleep on the floor for the first month or two, but once inside, he found it was furnished. Two chairs were obviously donated, a couch that had part of the cushion missing, but the kitchen seemed fully stocked with brand new cooking supplies. In awe, he walked around, looking down the hall into the bathroom across the hall from the bedroom. Unable to help himself, he looked inside and almost passed out in excitement. 

The bedroom had a queen-size bed that took up most of the room. There was a small desk shoved in the corner across from the bed with a bookshelf along the wall that lined up perfectly with the walk-in closet. Without thinking, Hinata launched himself into the bed, bouncing once before sinking into the deep blue sheets. 

“This is amazing! It’s so bouncy but super soft. I didn’t know they could make a bed like this...” most of the guests piled into the bedroom. Tanaka and Noya laughed, jumping onto the bed next to Hinata. 

“This bed is huge for you, Hinata! You are gonna have fun with the ladies with all this space.” Hinata’s face exploded in a bright blush as Tanaka laughed and ruffled Hinata’s hair. 

“That’s why we all pitched in to buy it. We thought a grown man like you deserve more than just a kid's bed.” Ukai snickered, pulling out a cigarette in the doorway. 

“You guys seem optimistic about the little squirt getting a girlfriend, huh?” Tanaka snickered. Takeda stood next to Ukai and snatched the cigarette from Ukai’s lips; put the contraband in his pocket.

“We have all been there, Hinata, so we all pitched in to help. And be nice. He doesn’t have to make chasing girls his top priority, unlike the rest of you. Shame on you for trying to smoke in Hinata’s apartment, Ukai.” The cranky shop owner grumbled at the loss of his cigarette, crossing his arms over his chest like a pouting child. Daichi raised his eyebrow at the three men crowded on the bed. 

“How about we all go eat Ennoshita’s meat buns before they get hard?” Daichi chided good-naturally. Hinata’s eyes lit up along with Noya and Tanaka at the mention of food; more importantly, meat. 

“Meat buns!” The three men dashed into the kitchen, which had a small counter for them to sit at and drool over the steaming meat buns. Ennoshita sighed in exasperation and held out the plate of meat buns. Hinata grabbed two meat buns, shoving one whole into his mouth while the other waited precariously close to his mouth. Tanaka and Noya dove into the meat buns like savage animals, almost biting Ennoshita hands-off. 

“Noya, you are going to get a stomach ache.” Asahi warned gently. Noya looked up from his meat bun with a harsh glare. 

“You doubt my meat bun eating skills? This is nothing! Watch this!” Noya proceeded to shove two more into his mouth, his eyes narrowing in concentration as he worked on chewing his now overfilled cavity. Tanaka mumbled his agreement before Ennoshita slapped both men in the back of their heads. 

“Quite being rude! This is Hinata’s party and apartment, you animals.” Ennoshita scolded, the two men rubbing the growing welts on the back of their heads. Hinata looked up from his mouthful of food. 

“I don’t mind. Can I have some more?” He held up the empty plate to a flabbergasted Ennoshita. 

“Where the fuck is a short stack like you putting all that?” Tsukishima asked in a slight saltine tone. He had picked one front he trays Sugawara had been passing around to everyone else, barely taking a single bite out of the snack. Hinata tilted his head to the side. 

“To work, of course.” He said as if it were the most obvious thing. Tsuki raised his eyebrow and smirked. 

“It’s gonna suck when that metabolism of yours catches up with you.” Daichi elbowed Tsuki.

“Listen, these meat buns are salted enough without you adding it. Can’t you be nice for five minutes?” Daichi scolded, looking like a tired older brother. Tsuki pushed up his glasses and glared at the wall. 

“Sorry, I reach my give a fuck quota for the year the on the third day of the year. Try again next year.” Suga and Daichi started to scold Tsukishima as Ennoshita asked Takeda and Asahi for help with the next batch of meat buns. Hinata walked over with the last two meat buns left and sat on the couch with Kenma. Kenma glanced up from his game, quietly taking the offered snack. 

“I didn’t know you would be coming, Kenma. Sorry, I haven’t been able to play, but finding a place out here was a nightmare.” Kenma frowned, holding the meat bun between his two hands as if it were a piece of glass. 

“I could have given you a place to stay if you had told me.” He sighed, looking depressed. Hinata waved his hands from side to side. 

“No, I didn’t want to bother you-” 

“You are one of the few people who don’t bother me.” Kenma bit into the meat bun, his eyes widening slightly as he took another bite. “This is really good.” Hinata nodded vigorously. 

“I know, right? Meat buns are my favorite food ever! They are full of meat, but you can add whatever you want to them, and they are really easy to make. Plus, you can make a ton of them, and they keep for a while. They can be food for weeks if you freeze some.” Kenma nodded, looking out the back window and out to the small balcony that overlooked the city and the park beyond. “Hey, you want to help me set up my internet and PlayStation? Oh, wait… I don’t have a TV…” Hinata’s shoulders slumped when he looked at the large black dresser the couch and chairs faced. Kenma reached into the side of the sofa and pulled out a remote. Pressing a button, Hinata watched a huge flat-screen TV slowly rise from the dresser. 

“Woah….” Kenma smiled at Hinata’s sparkling eyes. 

“Kuroo donated it. He likes that someone is willing to play with me.” Kenma untangled himself from the couch and grabbed two controllers from the top of the dresser and held it out to Hinata’s awestruck face. “I promise I’ll go easy on you at first.” Hinata snatched the controller from Kenma, grinning at the challenge. 

“Heck, no! Give me all you got so I can get stronger! So one day, I can beat you.” Kenma blinked in surprise before the faintest of smiles bloomed across his lips. 

“Ok.” The two men sat down to play while the rest of the guests either enjoyed the activities in the kitchen or settled down in the living room to watch Kenma and Hinata play. Daichi took a call after an hour and walked back with a sour expression on his face. He held out the phone to Kenma. 

“It’s yours, Kenma.” Confused, Kenma took the phone and placed it against his ear. 

“Hello-” 

“Damn it, Kenma! Why am I missing almost fifty thousand dollars!” A voice on the other end yelled as if he were on speaker. Hinata whined as Kenma once again killed the monster he had been trying to kill; allowing Tanaka to laugh at Hinata’s blunder. Kenma’s expression revealed nothing as he continued to play. 

“Why do you always think it’s my problem when someone hacks your account, Kuroo?” Kenma sighed tiredly. 

“Don’t give me that, you pudding head. Kai told me you took a liking to that one new kid in town, and suddenly you are going to parties and giving the kid endorsements? And a bunch of money disappears from my account? I ain’t stupid.” 

“That’s up for debate.” Everyone was now rudely eavesdropping, but Kenma did not seem to mind. 

“Don’t test me, Kenma. What the hell are you spending my money on?” Kuroo snapped. “More importantly, why are you spending my money in the first place!” Kenma hung up the phone and handed it to Daichi. The officer backed up and held up his hands. 

“Hell no. I’m not getting between you and that crazy gangster. He’s your problem.” Kenma blinked slowly as the phone began to ring. Hinata glanced over at the caller ID and only saw Headache Cat. Kenma answered the call. 

“Report the theft to the police. I have one right here.” He tossed the phone at Tsukishima, who juggled it before jamming it against his ear as he glared at Kenma. 

“Don’t go dragging me into this-” A vein in Tsuki's forehead bulged. “No, you don’t need to bring that up. Well, it’s not my problem; you can’t control your men. Oh yeah?” Tsuki motioned to Daichi that he was going to take the call outside. Daichi waved him away before turning to the new match Kenma had started. This time Noya joined in on the fun. 

“Oh, hell yeah! You are good, Kenma, but you can’t beat this!” Noya’s fingers smashed the buttons of his controller, his tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth as he concentrated on the screen. Suga and Asahi stood behind the three gamers, watching Noya with nervous amusement. 

“He never fails to destroy me when I play him normally. I don’t stand a chance when he plays like this.” Asahi commented in the middle of a particularly intense round. Suga smiled and patted the gentle giant’s shoulder. 

“You have more important things to focus on anyway. Don’t feel bad.” Asahi smiled gratefully at Suga as Noya yelled. 

“Oh, come on! I had you! Asahi, you should get in on this. You might learn a thing or two, so I don’t always have to destroy you.” Asahi found a controller in his hand as Noya practically dragged him over the couch and into the seat. Asahi’s face paled as the next game started. 

“Noya! I don’t know the controls- What happened?” Asahi started freaking out, Tanaka and Noya yelling instructions at the top of their lungs while Daichi and Suga yelled at them to calm down. Kenma curled deeper into his hoodie, holding the sides as his eyes grew distant. Hinata noticed the change in the little gamer and furrowed his eyebrows. 

“Everyone shut the fuck up!” He yelled over everyone, instantly silencing the room. All eyes were on the tiny orange-haired man as he placed his hand on Kenma’s shoulder. “It’s just a game, and it’s supposed to be fun. It’s not fun for anyone if we are all yelling at each other.” Noya and Tanaka bowed their heads while Asahi cast a guilty look at Kenma. Daichi and Suga rubbed the back of their heads in shame. Hinata then turned his attention to Kenma, who still hadn’t removed his hands from the side of his hoodie. 

“Kenma? How about we go into my room?” Hinata suggested, taking Kenma’s hand and leading him into the room. Kenma followed without a word, the rest of the party shifting awkwardly as the host cared for the triggered guest. Hinata closed the door to his room and kept the lights off, letting the lamplights outside offer him enough light to lead Kenma to the bed. Once there, he buried himself in Hinata’s sheets. Hinata sat next to him and curled his knees to his chest and watched over the bundle light up and the faintest sounds of clicking emanating from the soft light. 

“I’m sorry, Hinata. I didn’t want to ruin your party.” Kenma mumbled after a moment. Hinata shook his head, the sentiment lost with Kenma under the sheets. 

“You didn’t ruin anything, Kenma. I just want you to have fun. After all, you are part of the reason for me getting the apartment in the first place. I wish I could do more to show you how much it means to me to have you as my friend.” The clicking paused for a heartbeat before Kenma poked his head out from under the blanket. 

“You really… Consider me a friend? We barely know each other.” Hinata smiled brightly. 

“So? You came to my apartment warming party and played video games with me. How does that not make us friends?” Kenma looked down at the bed before withdrawing under them again.

“I’m happy to have a friend like you, then, Shoyo Hinata.” Hinata beamed as someone knocked on the door. Tsuki stepped inside after a second, holding up Daichi’s phone.

“Oi, Kenma. Kuroo’s on his way to pick you up.” There was no response, but Hinata knew that Kenma would be alright. He got up, turning back to Tsuki before he left the room. 

“I’ll get you some meat buns while you wait for Kuroo to get here.” There was once again no response, but Hinata knew that Kenma was grateful. The little gamer was now curled comfortably under his comforter, the tension in the air fading. Walking out, the ginger saw Tanaka, Asahi, and Noya all bowing with their faces on the floor with Daichi, Sugawara, and Ennoshita glaring down at them. Ennoshita and Daichi had their arms cross while Suga had one hand on his hip. 

“We are so sorry, Hinata. We should have been more respectful to you and Kenma. We promise it won’t happen again.” All three said in unison. Ukai and Takeda stood behind the three authoritarian figures, shaking their heads in disappointment. Hinata waved his hands from side to side. 

“Guys, it’s fine! Please, let’s just get back to having fun. This is the first place I’ve ever owned so… I only want good memories from now on.” Hinata said as firmly as his trembling voice would allow. Tsuki glaced at his watch. 

“Oi, Daichi. Shift starts in thirty minutes.” Daichi’s head snapped to his phone, cursing. 

“Shit, sorry Hinata, we have to go- Fuck! The Detectives are back!” Daichi grabbed Tsuki by his collar, and the two men dashed out the door. Tsuki let loose a string of curses as Daichi manhandled him out the door. Ennoshita sighed and looked at his watch as well. 

“Sorry, Hinata, I’ve got to go as well. I’ve got to open the shop tomorrow, so I need to get to bed early.” He grabbed his coat from the closet Hinata hadn’t noticed yet and smiled. “Asahi and I made enough meat buns to eat for a week. It should hold you over until payday if you don’t stuff yourself.” Hinata laughed sheepishly. 

“Thank you, but I can’t make any promises, Ennoshita.” The coffee shop owner sighed before shaking his head in amusement. Everyone waved Ennoshita out before Ukai and Takeda took their leave as well. Takeda hugged Hinata tightly, saying how proud he was of how far Hinata had come. Ukai ruffled Hinata’s hair and warned him not to be late for work the next day. After some debate, Takeda convinced Ukai to give Hinata the day off so he could properly enjoy his apartment. Based on the look Ukai gave Takeda, there was going to be a price to pay. Finally, all that was left was Suga, Tanaka, Noya, and Asahi. 

“Well, that fizzled out quickly,” Noya said, jumping to his feet and dusting off his jeans. “Gotta say, it’s still a nice ass apartment and a wild party. I don’t remember having this much fun with Asahi ever. Well, except for that one time he got his arm stuck-”

“Let’s not go there.” Asahi said quickly, slamming his hand over Noya’s mouth with a deep blush bursting across his cheeks. Noya wiggled free from Asahi’s grip and tilted his head to the side. 

“What? That’s not as bad as the time you put your strawberry vanilla ice cream in the oven and then cried when it didn’t taste like fruit soup.” Tanaka burst out laughing as Asahi hid his face behind his hand. 

“Nishinoya, I was drunk.” Asahi moaned in despair at the humiliation the smaller nurse was prolonging. Noya laughed, pounding Asahi’s back. 

“Off of two wine coolers too!” He turned to Hinata, grinning and jerking his thumb at Asahi. “This guy might look all badass and cool, but he is the biggest baby and lightweight I’ve ever seen. Seriously, he apologizes and cries after giving little kids their shots because he hates hurtin’ them.” 

“Hey, I got over that. You can’t keep holding that over my head.” Asahi scolded. Tanaka picked himself off the floor, wiping his eyes. 

“Man, you never change, Asahi. Can do complex surgeries and heal someone by being in the same room, but babies cry after taking one look at your face. Man, it’s great.” Asahi grumbled under his breath before Suga patted his shoulder reassuringly. 

“It’s ok, Asahi. Someday you will find the backbone you need.” 

“Sugawara!” Asahi moaned, throwing himself into the chair and hiding his face in his hand. Hinata laughed, and they all moved to the living room and turned on a movie. Tanaka wanted an action while Noya suggested horror. Suga suggested a funny movie while Hinata didn't have a preference. So they all settle on a movie with elements of everything. Noya stepped out to get popcorn while the others just sat around talking. A half an hour later, there came a knock at the door. 

“That must be-” The door slammed open, and Hinata jumped out of his seat in shock. He scrambled to his feet as a pair of heavy footsteps thudded through the apartment. Hinata watched as a tall, well-built man in a black suit with red accents stormed forward, his hands buried in his pockets with a slight sneer on his lips. His wild spiking hair covered a part of his eye, making him look a little wild and dangerous. He leered over Hinata. 

“Where is Kenma, short stack?” Hinata gulped, trembling under the piercing gaze of the intruder. Suga was on his feet in an instant, putting his hand on Hinata’s shoulder as he smiled up at the gang leader. 

“You still have no manners, Kuroo. Do I have to teach you?” Hinata glanced back at Suga, his blood running cold at the sight of the menacing smile the usually gentle college student wore. Kuroo stopped sneering and watched Suga nervously. He straightened his back, adjusting his tie as he ruffled his own hair. 

“Chill the fuck out, Suga, I ain’t here to cause trouble. I’m just here to grab pudding head, and then I’m out of here.” He took a step back from Hinata, looking around the room. “So, where is he?” 

“The bedroom.” Hinata squeaked. Kuroo walked in without another word, coming out a second later with Kenma slung over his shoulder, still playing video games. Kuroo looked Hinata up and down before shrugging

“Thanks for taking care of the half-pint. I hardly get him out of the house anymore. Not from lack of trying, either.” 

“Like I want to look at your ugly face all the time.” Kenma mumbled, seeming unfazed by being carried like a child. Kuroo glared over his shoulder at Kenma. 

“Hey, you should be lucky you have such a damn good looking guy to stare at all day. I’m the whole package.” Kenma didn’t miss a beat with his response.

“You should have been left on the doorstep.” Kuroo sputtered while Tanaka and Noya laughed. 

“Ok, we are gonna have to check that attitude of yours before you get hurt.” 

  
“I’m so scared. Will you promise to end everything this time?” 

“No!” Kuroo and Hinata both yelled, surprising both parties. They looked at each other, Hinata’s face an expression of deep concern while Kuroo looked disappointed in Kenma’s fatalistic attitude. Finally, Kuroo grinned and ruffled Hinata’s hair. 

“Thanks for taking care of Kenma. You seem like a pretty cool little dude. Sorry for the door, I’ll send someone to fix it.” With a wave, Kuroo carried Kenma out the door and shut it with a halfhearted slam. Sugawara sighed and patted Hinata's shoulder. 

“I’ll go to my car and see what tools I have to fix that. You shouldn’t have a door that doesn’t lock in this neighborhood.” Tanaka jumped up from the couch. 

“Bet I got more shit than you do. Don’t worry, Hinata, we got you.” The two men walked out the door, leaving Hinata with Asahi and Noya. There was a tense silence between the three men before Noya held out a controller. 

“We can try that one game Daichi got you if you want.” Hinata nodded, sitting down next to Noya. Asahi sat on the far side of Noya, throwing his arm over the couch behind Noya’s shoulders. The three men enjoyed the other’s company until they heard a crash from outside. Noya’s eyes narrowed before he jumped up from his seat and ran to the balcony. “Hey! The fuck you think you are doing to my guy!” Asahi and Hinata ran outside to the balcony and looked at the commotion Noya was fuming about. 

“Noya, shut up!” Suga yelled up, his back pressed against the wall of the alleyway while a cop pressed his arm against his chest to restrain him, despite Sugawara holding his hands in surrender. Tanaka was on the ground, the other officer holding onto his nightstick and hitting Tanaka’s arm despite him being in handcuffs. 

“Not so tough are you now, you fucking street punk!” Tanaka cried out in pain, thrashing around to get away from the abuse as his wrist bit into the cuffs restrained behind his back. Hinata watched in horror as Noya attempted to leap over the balcony to save his friend. Asahi grabbed Noya’s shoulder and pulled him back before Noya could clear the railing on the balcony to attack the abusive cops. 

“This is profiling! You didn’t even check to see if the registration was his, officer!” Suga yelled, struggling against his enforcer. The cop punched Suga, causing the college student to spit blood. 

“Shut the fuck up, or you are taking a ride with him. In fact-” The officer slammed Suga's back and head against the wall, flipping him abefore pinning both his arms behind his back with an illegal arm bar. “You are coming in on a charge of interfering with police and resisting arrest.” 

“That's bullshit!” Hinata yelled, Asahi reaching out to hold both Noya and Hinata back from launching themselves into the fray. The screaming grew louder until a cop siren blared throughout the alleyway. In the dark, the lights were like a slap in the face to everyone that caused all movement to stop. Hinata watched as an undercover cop car pulled up into the alleyway, two men stepping out of the vehicle in civilian clothes. 

“What’s going on here.” A tall, lean man with a deep voice boomed across the alleyway, seeming to demand respect and attention. Stepping in front of the lights allowed Hinata to make out his features. He had medium-length black hair with a downturned frown to accentuate the seriousness in his eyes. His long-sleeved grey button-down matched the slacks he wore, his detective badge glinting against his left hip. The two officers backed off their assault of Sugawara and Tanaka, but they never removed their grip on the two men. 

“Detective, we were just making an arrest based on-” 

“Hey, Hey, Hey! Don't try to lie now, we heard all that crap, mister patrolman!” Hinata watched as the other man stepped into the light, his black with white-tipped hair spiked up as if it were permanently blown away from his face. He wore a long black trench coat and black button-down with the detective badge bouncing against his chest. His grimacing glare seemed to make the officers take a step back as he leaned against his smaller partner. “Silver hair said something about profiling. Last I checked, cops aren’t working with the FBI to catch serial killers, so whatcha need profiling?” 

“Detective Bokuto, Akaashi, we saw this man with a suspicious bike-” 

“How was it suspicious?” The larger detective demanded, stepping forward and looming over the officer. The officer gulped, lifting the bruised Tanaka to his feet and using his body almost as a shield. 

“This man did not produce a registration on initial questioning-” 

“Because you guys ran up on me looking for a fight and trying to take my bike!” Tanaka yelled, jerking in the officer’s grip. The officer growled and pressed his baton against Tanaka’s neck in an attempt to choke him. 

“Put the nightstick away. Now!” The detective growled, grabbing the officer’s wrist and jerking it away from Tanaka. The officer obliged begrudgingly. The detective turned his attention to Tanaka. “Where is the registration.” 

“Up my ass.” Tanaka mouthed off, making the detective’s eyes narrow. 

“Tanaka! Now’s not the time!” Suga groaned, the officer pressing his face against the wall. The smaller detective struck like a snake, getting centimetres away from the officer’s face as he manhandled Sugawara. 

“I’d let this kid go if I were you. Wouldn’t want a brutality report to show up on your sergeant's desk signed by two of the best detectives on the force, now would you?” The officer glared at the detective before releasing Sugawara. The beefer detective huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“I think it’s time you boy’s fucked right off back to the station. Akaashi and I can handle a couple of punks because it looks like a slow night.” The detective grinned menacingly, flexing his muscles to intimidate the smaller officer. The two officers looked at each other before glaring at the detectives. 

“They are in our jurisdiction-” 

“Are you talking back, there, officer?” The larger detective growled, cracking his knuckles. “Because I don’t wanna have to tell you twice. I don’t like to repeat myself, do I, Akaashi.” 

“No, Bokuto, you don’t like to repeat yourself.” The other detective agreed, uncuffing Sugawara from the officer’s brutal grip. Bokuto nodded, blowing a short puff of air from his nose. 

“So, big man, you gonna try and pick on someone your own size or are you gonna get lost?” The officer gritted his teeth before half throwing Tanaka at Bokuto, stepping back with his partner. 

“We will be filing an abuse of power with our sergeant.” The officer promised as the two men saluted and walked back to their car. 

“I bet you won’t!” Bokuto challenged, bobbing his head from side to side with his hands on his hips. If he wasn't so intimidating Hinata would have laughed at the almost owl like threat display. “Fucking bet you won’t!”

“Bokuto, enough. You got them, big guy.” The smaller detective sighed, uncuffing Tanaka as the officers drove away. Sugawara sighed, rubbing his jaw. 

“Thanks for your help, Bokuto, Akaashi. This loudmouth was about to make it a horrible night.” Suga sighed, shaking Akaashi’s hand. 

“Happy to help. Sorry, we couldn’t stop it before it became a problem.” Akaashi assured, wincing as Bokuto half threw himself over Akaashi. 

“Did you see that, Akaashi? I made that officer shit himself! He won’t be fucking with anyone for weeks.” Bokuto beamed, his grin brighter than the lights of his car. Akaashi sighed tiredly. 

“Yeah! You go, Bokuto! Way to save Tanaka’s ass!” Noya cheered, bouncing on the balcony while Asahi held his shirt to keep him from launching himself over the railing. Hinata’s eyes bulged in awe. 

“That was so cool! You just went boom, and they went, ah!” Hinata started bouncing with Noya, pushing Asahi almost to his limit to restrain the two balls of energy. The detectives looked up, covering their eyes to look up at the audience. 

“Who’s the new little dude?” Bokuto asked, tilting his head to the side. 

“My name is Hinata Shoyo. I just moved in. Tanaka and Suga were just grabbing something to help fix my door when the officer’s attacked them.” Hinata explained. Akaashi frowned and looked at Tanaka. 

“You really should get another look, Tanaka. This is the fifth time on record that you have been profiled.” Tanaka clutched his arm before glaring at the police lights. 

“I think that says more about the police than it does me. Those lights are supposed to mean safety, but right now, they are making me feel everything but safe. Fuck, that hurt.” Tanaka hissed, face twisting in pain. 

“We should get you inside, have Asahi look at you,” Sugawara suggested, placing his hand gently against Tanaka’s shoulder. “You guys should go back to the station and see if you can nip this in the bud. This isn’t the first time those officers have harassed Tanaka, and I’m worried they might try to pull something to get him on worse charges.” 

“We will take care of it,” Akaashi promised. Bokuto nodded in agreement, grinning. 

“Yeah, leave it to the greatest Detective! I’ll dig up all their dirt if I have to.” He flexed his arms again, puffing his chest as he glanced at Akaashi. “I bet I could take on their entire squad by myself if I had to. Nothing can touch me.” 

“Except if they found out why you skipped out on duty last week.” Akaashi deadpanned, turning and walking to the car. Bokuto’s face drained of all his enthusiasm before he burst into angry hysterics. 

“Akaashi! You aren’t supposed to bring that up! It was one night, ok?” The two men go into the car and drove off, leaving Noya and Hinata to stare after them. Asahi breathed a sigh of relief and let them both go. 

“Noya, you could have hurt yourself-” 

“Tanaka!” Noya yelled, jumping off the balcony and cushioning his fall by grabbing onto the balcony two floors below before dropping the rest of the way to run up to Tanaka. “Dude, are you ok? What are those officer’s names? How many fingers am I holding up? What’s your favorite color?” 

“How did you not die!” Asahi yelled, bellowing over the railing down at Noya. Hinata just stared in awe. 

“Noya, you have to show me how you did that!” Hinata said excitedly, feeling too chicken to do it himself. 

“No!” Sugawara and Asahi both yelled before Noya could reply. “Noya, you and Asahi get Tanaka to the clinic. I’ll fix Hinata’s door.” Suga snapped in an exasperated tone. Asahi nodded, turning to Hinata. 

“It was a fun party. Thank you for having me over and sorry if I ruined it a little when I freaked out Kenma. I tend to scare people a lot…” Hinata smiled, hugging Asahi instead of shaking his hand. 

“I’m glad you came. It’s amazing having friends like you to welcome me home to my very first place.” He pulled away, looking up at the bewildered giant. “And you aren’t scary at all, Asahi.” Asahi smiled, hugging Hinata back before pulling away. 

“Thank, Hinata. You are a really cool guy. Have a good night.” With that, Asahi left to take Tanaka and Noya to the clinic while Sugawara walked up and inspected the door. 

“The latch should hold for a little while. Kuroo wasn’t being as much of an asshole as I thought he was going to be. Still.” He lifted a bag of supplies and new locks. “Can’t be too careful. Do you mind helping me?” 

“Of course not!” Hinta laughed, watching as Suga showed him how to replace the lock. He didn’t bother to tell him that he could easily pick the deadbolt and knob if he wanted, but he didn’t want the string of questions that can be attached to that comment. It was almost midnight by the time they finished their work.

“I suppose I should be getting home.” Suga yawned, stretching his back as he stood up. “I have to say; there doesn’t seem to be a dull moment when I’m around you.” 

“Is that a good or a bad thing?” Hinata chuckled nervously. Suga smiled and ruffled Hinata’s hair affectionately. 

“It’s perfectly ok. I’m just glad you are safe in your own space now, so I don’t have to worry about you.” Hinata batted Suga’s hand away playfully. 

“I’m not a little kid. You don’t have to act like my mom.” Suga stuck his tongue out at Hinata. 

“Well, someone has to look out for a kid like you around here. Next week we can go shopping for food and new clothes. I’ve meant to help with that, and I have a day off.” 

“That would be great. Thanks, Suga.” Sugawara leaned forward as if to kiss Hinata on the forehead but stopped himself. Both men blushed and looked away from each other. 

“I didn’t mean it like that. I mean, I’m-” 

“I know, Suga.” Those two words seemed to root Sugawara in place, fear radiating from every pore in his body. Hinata looked around and leaned forward, smiling gently. “Daichi, right?” 

“You can’t tell anyone.” Suga hissed in panic, his eyes cringing in an unseen pain. “This city… Daichi has enough to worry about without thinking of me.”

“What? He doesn’t know?” Hinata asked, astonished. Suga’s shoulders slumped, and his head bowed. He hugged himself as if the words he spoke were physical attacks against him. 

“His girlfriend made it clear it could never happen.” Hinata’s heart throbbed in his chest, unsure of how to console his friend. “So… please, keep this to yourself. The police and almost everyone else hates me because I’m already poor, but if they knew I was gay… I don’t think even Daichi and Bokuto combined could protect me from the police.” 

“I won’t say a word; I swear,” Hinata promised. “I don’t even know why I said anything. I just was always good at reading people-” 

“Never lose that, Hinata,” Suga said gently, a weak smile spreading across his lips as he patted Hinata’s head. “It’s a gift to see someone for who they are and not judge them for it. If there were more people like that in the world, it would be a much better place.” He let his arm fall to his side and grabbed his keys from the counter, waving a sad goodbye to Hinata as he closed the door. Hinata stood in his living room in silence, the weight of the emptiness crushing the air from his lungs. His mind began to work as phantoms from earlier that day haunted his mind. 

Ukai and Takeda had been almost open about their connection, and everyone seemed ok with it. Asahi had openly shown his colors with Noya from the shy looks to the smaller nurse's deep concern. Everyone had felt safe to be themselves in his apartment, yet now he felt as if he were the one that had to put on a mask in his own place. Why couldn’t he be honest with his friends? 

“Suga, wait!” He opened the door, slamming into someone, and stumbling back. 

“Hey, watch where the fuck- you!” Hinata looked up to see Kageyama, dressed in a ruffled business suit with his tie hanging untied around his neck and hair in disarray. His eyes widened in recognition, but he quickly covered his surprise with an irritated glare. “The fuck are you doing here, tangerine.”

“I live here, Bakayama.” Hinata snapped back, looking Kageyama up and down. “Are you ok?”

“No, I just had a stalker run into me and tell me he moved in next door.” Kageyama snapped, bristling for a moment before sighing. “Welcome to the apartment complex or whatever. I hope you aren’t following me.”

“I’m not, but-” Kageyama didn’t give him a chance to finish before pushing past him and venturing his own apartment. Apartment one hundred nine. Hinata stared at the door, wondering if he should ask if Kageyama was ok until he realized that the faint perfume surrounding Kageyama had been a thick musk of alcohol. He watched the door for another moment before chasing after Sugawara and meeting him at the bottom of the steps. 

“Hinata, what’s wrong-” 

“Suga, can you stay at my place tonight? I-I don’t want to be alone my first night.” Hinata blushed, rubbing the back of his head. “I don’t mean like that. You can sleep on the couch or something. I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable-”

“No, no, it's fine.” Suga’s shoulders relaxed, and the tired expression seemed to fade slightly. “I wouldn’t mind staying over. It feels like the one place I can be myself anyway.” Hinata panted before beaming up at Suga. 

“I’m glad. That’s all I want people to feel when they come to my apartment. A safe place to be themselves.” 


	4. Where Do You Stand?

“Two orders of iced mocha latte with double shots with cream and sugar, Hinata!” Ennoshita called over his shoulder as he stepped out of the way of another barista. The late-night rush had died down to the last hectic customers late for dinner, and Ennoshita had not gotten more staffing for the night shift, though it meant more tips for Hinata to take home later. The late fall skies threatened a cold thunderstorm that would soon make travel by foot a nightmare. Ennoshita seemed sympathetic to the change in weather because he smiled sheepishly at Hinata. “This will be your last order for the day, and then you can go home. Sugawara would kill me if you got a cold because I made you work late and walk in the rain.” 

“It’s no big deal, I've got a short shift at Ukai's anyway. I’ll stay for another hour and then go. Thank you, Ennoshita.” In truth, Hinata was hoping he would distract himself enough not to get lost in daydreaming about his neighbor. It had been over a month since he learned the man’s name that lived next door, his name replaying in his mind like a broken record.

"Hey, Hinata!" The orange-haired boy looked up to see Yachi waving excitedly on the other side of the counter. Filling the last order, he leaned over the counter to chat. 

"Hey, Yachi! I haven't seen you in a few days. How have you been? That's a cute dress." Yacht blushed and fiddled with her sleeve. 

"Oh, thank you. My mom suggested it- I mean, I've been super busy! Kiyoko caught a huge case against one of the big companies, so we have been working overtime. I haven't had more than four hours in the last week." She laughed, Hinata frowning worriedly. 

"You work too hard, Yachi. It isn't healthy." Yachi nodded tiredly before offering the smallest of smiles. 

"After this case, Kiyoko and I agreed to take a short vacation. Don't worry. I should be telling you to slow down. I always see you here, from open to close." Hinata laughed, rubbing the back of his head. 

"Well, I have a lot of energy and free time, so I figured I would put it to use making money for my sister." Yacht nodded in understanding. Ennoshita placed his palm on the counter while his other hand rested on his hip. 

"I see you are using that energy to jaw while on the clock." Hinata shivered at the glare he received and quickly offered a goodbye. 

"We should hang out after work sometime," Yachi said, turning to leave. Hinata spun on his heel and pulled out his phone. It was a simple flip phone like the disposables he had used, but he loved it. 

"I can give you my number if you want. Or you can give me yours. Then you can come over and check out my place! It’s so cool!" Yachi beamed back at Hinata and agreed. Yachi waved as she left, almost running into the door on the way out. Ennoshita wiggled his eyebrows at Hinata successively. "What?" Hinata asked harshly, not enjoying the knowing smirk growing on his boss's face.

"Getting all the ladies, I see." Hinata's face exploded in a bright blush, and he spilled the drink he was making. 

"No, it’s not like that! Stop teasing me, Ennoshita." The taller man just smiled to himself as he put in another order for Hinata to fill. In the last five minutes of Hinata's shift, he found himself face to face with Chief Prosecutor Toru Oikawa.

"Iwa-chan! I told you this is the cutest place in the district. This would be the perfect place for me to set up my charity work campaign. Cute, clean, and right where I need it." Oikawa was dressed in a light grey suit with a white undershirt and baby blue tie with shiny black dress shoes. Two women squealed as he winked at them, walking over to strike up a conversation. The men that followed him inside looked slightly more disheveled and unapproachable. His spiky black hair stood up in a myriad of directions and only added to his intimidating glare. He walked up to the counter, his hands shoved in his pockets as if he were trying to hold them up despite wearing a perfectly fitting belt.

"One black coffee and whatever the princess wants in his." Oikawa's head turned as if he could sense the nickname was directed at him. Ennoshita nodded, typing in the order before looking up the intimidating man patiently. "Oi! Oikawa, what do you want?" 

"Excuse me, ladies." Oikawa excused himself, walking over and placing his hand on the counter and looking pointedly at Hinata. The smaller man glared, his hand gripping his pen so tightly he could feel the plastic strain. Hinata could only see the condescending superiority in Oikawa's expression that Hinata had come to expect from prosecutors. 

"I would like a vanilla mocha, extra cream, and add two shots of espresso." Iwaizumi's hand appeared out of nowhere and struck Oikawa in the back of the head. 

"That's way too much sugar, shittykawa. Pick something else." Oikawa rubbed the back of his head, his bottom lip poking out in a childish pout. 

"Iwa-chan, you know I don't like the taste of the coffee. Why did you have to hit me?" Iwaizumi glared at Oikawa before looking at Hinata. 

"Get him an iced coffee with extra cream and milk. Make it a medium." Ennoshita nodded, turning the register over to Hinata as he walked over to Oikawa and Iwaizumi. 

"You mentioned something about using my shop as a venue ?" Ennoshita prompted, pulling Oikawa away from flirting with the small gaggle of women that had gathered around him. 

"Oh, yes! Iwa-chan and I were just discussing my next campaign plan, and local businesses seemed to get what I want to promote. Community, hard work, the lifeblood of the city that so many people seems unfairly overlook. I plan on changing that." Hinata forced himself away to make the last of the drinks for the two prosecutors. His stomach turned when he thought back to the man who threw him into jail. He had been just as cocky and flirtatious, which only seemed to grow worse since he was locked away. The phone rang, and Hinata snatched the phone from the receiver. 

"How can I help you?" He growled, startling himself with how harsh his words came out. 

"Oh, that's some friendly and encouraging customer service." Hinata recognized Tsuki's voice and instantly regretted his tone.

"Sorry, Tsuki. What can I get you?" Hinata held up his hand to the next customer, taking out his notepad and writing down the order. In the seventh order, he put his pen down. "Tsuki, is this a prank?"

"Fucking wish it was. We got slammed with calls and cases, so nightshift is getting the 'you got screwed' treatment from the Detectives and Sergeant. Daichi is ordering donuts now." He heard Tsuki yawn dramatically and clicked his tongue. "Man, night shifts must feel special right now. Don't do anything, and they get all sorts of treats when they get called to do their job. Must be nice."

"Ok, what's the rest of the order?" Hinata scribbled the last of the order and asked who would be retrieving it. Tsuki snickered.

"That's cute you think we are gonna come get it. Tell Ennoshita that we are gonna need it delivered. Have fun." The call ended, and Hinata silently panicked. He did not even know they delivered, much less almost forty orders of coffee. He took a deep breath before turning around and nearly jumping out of his skin.

"Kageyama! Are you stalking me?" Hinata yelped, a dozen or so cups and lids scattering across the floor as Hinata's hip bumped into the rack. Kageyama stood infringing his button-down and slacks; his jacket slung over his shoulder as he leaned against the counter. By now, all other customers were either flocking to Oikawa or enjoying their coffee at distant booths, which left both men constrained by social graces to interact with one another without interruption. 

"I'm not stalking you. I am here to meet with Oikawa to discuss the upcoming election, but I can't get away from you." He sighed, his deep bags under his eyes wrinkling as his scowl deepened. "I'll take a double shot latte with a yogurt cup." Hinata nodded, typing in the border and writing Kageyama's name on the cup. To Hinata's surprise, the tall politician hadn't moved from his spot at the counter. 

"Aren't you going to talk to Oikawa?" Hinata asked, tilting his head to the side as he worked the coffee machine. Malaysia's scowl deepened. 

"Not with all those fangirls around him." Hinata blinked in confusion. 

"Aren't you supposed to be winning the hearts and minds of the people in this city? It seems hard to do if you don't even want to talk to people." Kageyama bristled.

"Yeah, I know that, dumbass." He swerved silently for a moment before his shoulders slumped. "I want to help the people in this city, but… it's tough to talk to people." He blushed, rubbing the back of his neck before glaring at Hinata's smile. "Shut up, carrot top."

"No, I totally get it! Girls are kinda scary, and sometimes it's hard to connect with certain people." Hinata placed Kagetama's coffee in front of him, holding it for a moment and looking into Kageyama's eyes. "Sometimes, you have to show you are willing to help rather than say it. People respond more to actions than words." For a moment, the politicians' eyes were not so tired. Dark blue orbs met a light brown one, and Hinata felt, just for a moment, a silent understanding pass between them. 

"Uh… yeah. Something like that." Kageyama stuttered, reaching out and taking the latte from Hinata and walking over to Oikawa's growing fan club. Ennoshita managed to escape the crowd and stumble his way behind the counter. 

"Glad my business is just as much a mess as my schedule." Hinata crouched and helped his boss pick up the cups. 

"Sorry, Ennoshita. How did it go with the prosecutor?" Ennoshita glanced over at the crowd, shaking his head as people from outside started trickling in.

"I'm pretty sure I was just legally blackmailed, but hey, we might have enough money to expand. Maybe." Hinata picked up on the reluctant tone in Ennoshita's voice.

"But something is holding you back? What deal did he offer you?" Hinata asked. Ennoshita sighed before looking at the order Hinata had written from the Police department. 

"What the Fuck!" Just like that, Hinata was left wondering what exactly Ennoshita had meant by legal blackmail. Ennoshita and Hinata set to work filling the order from the station while also trying to manage the sudden influx of late-night customers. Hinata kept a skeptical eye on Oikawa, watching as he flirted and charmed his way around the crowd. Kageyama attempted to mingle and charm, but it was almost like he was a shark, and the patrons gave him a wide berth. His growing scowl was not making him any more approachable, but he still worked hard to keep up with Oikawa's charm. 

"You can borrow my car, Hinata. There is no way you can carry these by yourself. I'm tempted to get rid of that delivery option all together after this." Hinata nodded.

"Yeah, this is way too much coffee." Hinata agreed, struggling to carry the stacked trays that had not already been loaded into Ennoshita's car. Standing next to the car, Hinata paused, shifted from side to side as Ennoshita held out a pair of keys. "Um… maybe I should have mentioned earlier that I, um, don't know how to drive." Ennoshita's face paled.

"Are you fucking kidding me!" He yelled, causing Hinata to flinch. "Shit, Hinata, I can't leave now, and we already made all this coffee…"

"I can drive the dumbass." Hinata whipped around to see Kageyama holding up his keys, his scowl softening to a slightly concerned look. "No sense in ruining a great shop like this."

"What about your campaign?" Hinata objected. Kageyama snorted.

"Right like I'm gonna have a chance with Mister Model over there and his henchman." Kageyama snapped bitterly. "Come on; we don't get all night." Hinata looked over and Ennoshita, who slumped against the counter.

"You certainly would be saving both our asses, Sir. Thank you, you got my vote." Kageyama paused before offering the smallest of smiles. Hinata's heart made an odd beating movement in his chest. Blinking the surprise away, Hinata followed Kageyama through the crowd before Oikawa called out to them. 

"Oh, my little pupil! Aren't you going to stay and chat with us? I thought you wanted to talk?" Kageyama didn't even look back when he replied.

"We can talk when you aren't sucking up to the masses, Oikawa." Hinata winced and looked around the coffee shop. If someone could go negative in the polls, Kageyama might have just achieved the feat. Oikawa sighed in mock sadness before returning to his flirtatious ways. Hinata bowed to Iwaizumi. 

"Please excuse Kageyama. He isn't the best public speaker." Hinata wondered why he was defending Kageyama; he barely knew the man, yet Hinata knew he had to say something. The dark-haired assistant shrugged, chewing on a muffin. 

"He knew he lost the people in here. It's a good thing he wasn't caught on camera." He paused, his eyes narrowing. "Do I know you from somewhere?"

"No!" He bolted out the door after Kageyama. With Ennoshita's help, the three men transferred the coffee from Ennoshita's car to Kageyama's BMW.

"Wow! Is that real leather? With heated seats! That touch screen is like a little TV. What does this button do?" Kageyama slapped Hinata's hand as he climbed into the driver's seat. 

"Hands off. Damn it; you are like a little kid." Kageyama snapped, connecting his phone, and a deep base started shaking the car. Hinata clutched his ears and grimaced in pain. 

"Can you turn that down?" Kageyama shifted into gear and started down the road as if he hadn't heard Hinata. Hinata curled into the seat and was about to reach for the dial when Kageyama switched the song and turned down the music. Hinata was surprised he listened to K-pop. He looked at Kageyama, surprised to see a slight blush creeping into the politician's cheeks. 

"Shut up, don't say anything." Kageyama snapped the longer Hinata started. Hinata blinked. 

"What? I like K-pop too. I'm just surprised because you don't seem like the type to listen to K-pop." Kageyama stopped at a light, turning to glare at Hinata. 

"And what did you think I liked, you little punk?" Hinata pressed himself against the door. 

"I don't know; I just didn't expect it. And I'm not little or a punk. My name is Hinata. Hinata Shoyo." Kageyama rolled his eyes and settled back as the light turned green. 

"I know, kinda hard to forget the name of a tangerine haired moron with a death wish when he moves next door like a stalker." 

"How the hell was I supposed to know you lived there?" Hinata snapped, glancing at the small pendant dangling off the rearview mirror. "You play volleyball?" 

"Quit after my first year of high school." Kageyama deadpanned, shifting silently as the song changed to a slower American pop song. 

"What made you quit?" Hinata pushed, instantly regretting it. Kageyama's fist tightened on the steering wheel, and his jaw set loudly. When he didn't answer, Hinata turned away and watched the city fly by. 

At the next light, he saw an older man with four young kids playing in an alley with a volleyball. The older man had more holes than clothing with his bare feet coated with thick calluses and cuts. The kid's shoes were falling apart, and the one or two who had volleyball shoes had them almost falling apart. One of the children missed a revive and sent the shabby volleyball bouncing out into the sidewalk. A slightly older group of kids walked down the street while the ball bounced in front of them. 

"Hey, can I have that back?" The boy asked, his three friends waiting patiently behind him. The group of older kids looked at each other and laughed. 

"Are you kidding?" They shoved the younger boy, knocking him to the ground. "This belongs in the trash like the rest of you. I can't believe they let a bag of street trash like you even play volleyball for our school." Hinata jumped out of the car the second the light turned green. Kageyama slammed on his breaks and cursed, yelling at Hinata to get back in the car. Hinata was already between the two groups, snatching the volleyball from the older boys' hands. 

"Knock it off." He yelled, startling all the boys. "You guys are in middle school. You shouldn't care how much money each other has or how tall they are. You should judge a player on their personality and their skill. That way, volleyball can be fun for everyone." He handed the ball to the disadvantaged group of middle schoolers while the older ones glared at Hinata. 

"Volleyball isn't supposed to be fun. It's going to get me into   
Shiratorizawa and play for a college scholarship. I already have two sponsors, and my mom knows the manager." Hinata glared at the older boy. 

"Volleyball is too fun. And I'm going to go to Karasuno." The boy holding the volleyball declared firmly. The older boys laughed. 

"Karasuno? Do you mean that second rate poor public school that hasn't won anything in almost seven years? I guess even gutter trash has to play somewhere." The older boy laughed, his friends joining in. Hinata watched as the boy holding the ball and his friends grew angry for a moment before their shoulders slumped in defeat. Hinata understood the feeling. Looking at kids with new clothes, the latest shoes, and a stable future standing right in front of you while all you had was an old volleyball and dreams? It was hard to hold onto hope like that. Hinata set his jaw; his hands clenched into a fist before a hand rested on his shoulder he looked back, seeing Kageyama glaring at the older middle schoolers.

"Karasuno isn't a second rate school. That team is the only one that has ever held a continuous rivalry with Nekoma and   
Shiratorizawa." He took another step forward, the older middle schoolers backing away from Kageyama's menacing aura. "And what makes you think you can even get on the team? The coach won't give two shits who you know if you can't receive. If you don't have any talent, you won't ever step foot on the court, much less play in a game that can get you into a college. So don't go running your mouth if you don't have the fame to back It up!" The older boys scattered when Kageyama snapped, one falling and scrambling after his friends. 

"Wow… that was kinda cool, Kageyama." Hinata whistled, standing up straighter as he looked Kageyama up and down. He isn't what I expected at all, Hinata thought. 

"And you four." Kageyama turned to the younger middle schoolers. They all snapped to attention as Kageyama's glare pierced into their souls. "You can't win on hard work and dreams alone. Call this number and mention Kageyama Tobio. He will help set you up with donations for new shoes and uniforms." He reached into his pocket and was about to give.them to the kids before the old man chuckled. 

"Best to give that card here, boy. These kids would lose their heads if they weren't attached." Hinata watched as the intimidating glower lifted from the old man's face as he smiled. His scruffy grey goatee matched his silvery grey hair that sat slicked back atop his head. He had wrapped himself up with a torn shawl as he leaned against the brick apartment building. Kageyama nodded and held out the card. "You are that young politician trying to run against Oikawa?"

"Yes, Sir." Kageyama puffed his chest out in pride, a slight smile twitching at his lips. The old man beamed. 

"Well, I had my doubts about you, kid, but now I know you ain't some twisted politician and trying to make a difference. I've meant to call, but for some reason, no one picks up the phone when I do." Kageyama frowned. 

"That line should be available twenty-four hours a day. Give me a week and I'll take care of it." The old man nodded and called the boys in for dinner. 

"Tell this man, thank you for getting back your volleyball." The old man scolded. The boys turned and bowed. 

"Thank you, Kageyama, sir." Kageyama paused before turning on his heel and walking to the trunk of his car. Hinata bowed, smiling at the kids. 

"If you need any volleyball tips or just want someone to coach you, you can call me." He scribbled down his phone number on the card Kageyama gave the old man. 

"Here," Kageyama muttered, tossing a volleyball at one of the kids. The boy claimed for a moment before awkwardly reviving the ball. Another boy set it into the air while the last one spiked it into the ground. The old man's hands shot out with reflexes that did not seem to match his age and snatched the ball from flying into the window. He looked at him and smiled. 

"Quite a gift for a random group of kids just playing volleyball." The old man noted. Kageyama pulled his jacket around himself and shrugged. 

"It was taking up space in my trunk. May as well be put to some good use." The old man nodded and glared at the boys.

"Thanks so much, sir!" The boys cheered excitedly, rushing off to their makeshift net and began playing. Hinata resisted the urge to join, feeling the almost forgotten rush of watching volleyball and how his whole body itched to join. Instead, he waved goodbye to the old man and joined Kageyama in the car. 

"That was super cool, Kageyama. The way you stood up for them like that and gave them a volleyball." Hinata shuttered excitedly. Kageyama shrugged and started down the last few blocks to the police station as the last rays of sunlight disappeared from the sky. 

"Those kids needed a new volleyball, but that doesn't mean they can get out of their situation with volleyball. Those older boys were right. Going to Shiratorizawa is the best hope anyone can have in a comfortable future. Karasuno is a school where you learn how to stay poor." Hinata opened his mouth to object before closing it again. 

"What school did you go to, then?" Hinata asked right before they stopped in front of the police station. Kageyama sighed and stopped the car, turning off his music. 

"Aoba Johsai ." Hinata's eyes widened in shock. That was an equally elite public school that was only one step below Shiratorizawa. 

"Oh… explains why I never met you." Hinata sighed. Kageyama raised his eyebrow. "I went to Karasuno," Hinata explained. Kageyama grunted before stepping out and grabbing the first round of coffee. Hinata followed, loading himself up before realizing they would need to take two trips to get all the coffee inside. 

"I got the door, dumbass." Kageyama snapped as he kicked.open the door. The officer watching the front desk jumped to his feet. 

"Oh, shit! We thought you guys would never get here." He waved Hinata and Kageyama through. Hinata stumbled when Kageyama moved forward, almost dropping his load of coffee. 

"Dumbass," Kageyama muttered as they opened the door to the police station's back office. 

"Coffee!" Came an over-excitable voice that was strangely familiar to Hinata. He lowered his load of coffee to see a familiar muscled detective with owlish eyes. 

"Detective Bokuto!" Hinata cheered, hurrying forward and putting down the coffee. Bokuto laughed. 

"Hey, hey, hey! You're the kid with Sugar guy and Punk face! Hinata, was it?" He snatched one of the black coffees, grabbing a dozen creamers and sugars to mix into the large coffee. 

"Yes, sir. Sorry if the coffee is a little cold." Hinata apologized, rubbing the back of his head. Bokuto opened the lid and beamed as they saw steam rising from the dark liquid of life. 

"What are you worried about? It looks hot enough for me. Hey, Daichi! Your work lube is here!" Hinata snorted a laugh as Daichi's head popped up from behind a cubicle, red-faced. 

"Don't call it that, Bokuto! And Akaashi said you were not to have coffee." Daichi huffed. Hinata watched as Tsuki stepped out of an office next to Daichi, straightening his glasses and collar. 

"You expect Bokuto to remember anything with that goldfish brain?" He grumbled, walking forward and picking up an iced coffee and taking a sip of the iced coffee. " I might find my will to live with this. Wait, nevermind. It's the caffeine."

"Tsuki, stand over there, so I don't get salt in my coffee. Thanks." Daichi chuckled, taking the largest cups and throwing it back. 

"Damn, starting early tonight with weak ass burns," Tsuki grumbled. 

"It's almost eight the Fuck you mean starting early!" Bokuto laughed, lifting his coffee to his lips before a hand clasped around the lid, stopping the coffee from going down the detective's throat. 

"Bokuto, we talked about this. You need to cut back on the coffee." Detective Akaashi said, picking the cup from Bokuto's hand. 

"Akaashi!" Bokuto lamented loudly, slumping against the nearby desk. "My doctor was just dramatic about my Blood pressure." Hinata watched as Akaashi took a long sip of Bokuto's coffee and stared blankly at Bokuto. 

"When your blood pressure of one forty over ninety for two years straight is not healthy. You are only twenty-six." Bokuto perked up, flexing his arms and causing the sleeves of his t-shirt to flex dangerously close to splitting threads. 

"That's because I always give one hundred and forty percent with everything." Hinata moved out of the way as more officers moved forward. He moved closer to Daichi, the anxiety of being in a police precinct, causing his body to shake. Daichi smiled warmly, patting his shoulder in a silent understanding. Unlike the rest of the officers, Hinata actually felt safe around Daichi. 

"Hey, It's Kageyama." One officer said, catching the typing politician before he could sneak away back to his car. "I've got a few questions for you." Kageyama looked from side to side wildly as a dozen or so officers crowded around him. 

"I-I am not speaking in an official capacity-" Kageyama stuttered, his eyes connecting with Hinata. The orange-haired man tossed Kageyama two thumbs up. If he wants to heal the community, he has to work on both sides. You can't win without the people and the police, Hinata thought. 

"I'm just wondering how you are going to.manage the funding for training." One officer asked. A dozen more questions fired off at once, and Hinata noticed Kageyama was getting overwhelmed. He looked at Akaashi. 

"Detective? Can you help Kageyama with the officer's questions?" Samadhi looked down at Hinata and smiled. 

"Yeah, no problem." He pushed off his desk and walked through the crowd to get to Kageyama. 

"Go get them, Akaashi!" Bokuto cheered, taking a long gulp of coffee before Daichi wrestled the cup away from him. 

"Stop it, Bokuto. You know Akaashi is right, so stop trying to get yourself a heart attack at twenty-three." 

"Douchface Daichi," Bokuto muttered, causing Daichi to snap his head up. 

"The Fuck did you say to me?" Hinata excused himself to grab the rest of the coffees when Tsuki grabbed his arm. He held up a small coco espresso with cinnamon to Hinata. 

"Take it to Tadashi before the guy passes out." He half ordered, sipping his tea. He glared at Hinata when the orange-haired boy was about to object. "It might help to bring a hacker tribute if you want him to clean out the skeletons in your closet." The words took a few heartbeats to register to Hinata, but when they clicked, he grabbed the cocoa drink and dashed into the office. 

"Excuse me? Tsuki sent me here to deliver this…" Hinata saw a shy looking man huddled in front of four monitors, various lines of code running across each. The room was fridged with two AC units whirring the last of their dying breaths into the space that was hardly big enough to fit the computers, much less adding Hinata to the area. A pair of tired green eyes turned, a small antenna-like strand of hair sticking up from the hacker's head. 

"Oh, thank you." He took the coco from Hinata and took a sip. Hinata watched as the hacker pouches into his chair, the too big police jacket draped around his shoulders, cocooning him along with a pair of baggy jeans and boots. "Ah, that hits the spot…" 

"Sorry if it got cold on the way here. We had a huge order to deliver." Hinata apologized, trying not to look too hopeful at the computers. He had never been so close to a place that could expunge his record. The bad and the ugly that he could never let his new friends or even his family know. The hacker waved his hand. 

"It's fine; it’s actually the perfect temperature. My name is Tadashi Yamaguchi. As you can see, I'm sort of a technology adviser for the police." Hinata nodded, glancing nervously behind him before closing the door. 

"Um, I know I probably shouldn't be asking for help as a complete stranger, but… Can I ask a favor? Or some help. You don't have to do it-" Tasahi smiled, turning around in his swivel chair and typing at his computer. 

"Tsuki went to your welcome home, right? With Daichi? You aren't a stranger." Hinata watched in surprise as Tadashi pulled up his file, seeing it had been left unopened since he was put in prison. 

The world dropped away as he looked at the date on his file. His mother told him that his father tried to free him from prison every chance he had. She had given him money for a lawyer as well. Now he saw that no one had even tried. Hinata clenched his fist and ran from the room, charging out the back door and almost ran into Daichi. 

"Hey, what's going on-" Hinata ripped his shoulder from the officer's grip. He burst through the back door, bolting down the alley faster than anyone could hope to catch him. He stole down the unfamiliar streets until he bounced off someone's broad back.

"Hey!" The man yelled, whipping around with his hands in his hoodie pockets and a force scowl across his face. "You fucking blind? Did you not see the neon yellow hoodie or shorts?" 

"S-sorry!" Hinata stammered, his previous rage turning into a bundle of nerves. The man brought back mesmerizing his old life. The sides of his head shaves with blond hair swept to the side pricing covering his ear and seemed to play with the piercing on his tongue habitually. His bright yellow hoodie and shorts were hard to miss, his hightops almost glowing in the night light. "I don't want any trouble-"

"Hey, you, the kid working in Ukai's shop, right? You hooked up my guy Kenma and my other friend, Tanaka. Hinata, right?" The guy's expression did a complete one-eighty when he recognized Hinata, goodnight his hand to help him to his feet. "Yūji Terushima, the street name is Playboy. Hell, are you running from that you miss a sign like me?" Hinata took Terushima's hand and dusted off his jeans. 

"I was… my dad just…" Hinata began to shake again, unsure if it was from rage or grief. His mother had worked hard to care for Hinata and his sister and had given every spare cent she had to his father to get him out. Hinata wishes he hadn't put so much hope in the man who left Hinata and his sister for his own life of crime. 

"Hey, you good, man?" Terushima snapped his fingers under Hinata's nose, snapping Hinata out of his thoughts. "From that look, I'm guessing you wouldn't mind breaking your old man's face." 

"No, it’s not that…'' He swallowed, wondering what his father could have done with the money. How could his flesh and blood, the man who helped give both him and his sister life, leave them both to starve in the cold world? He swallowed the lump in his throat. "I should get back." 

"Oi, Hinata, right?" Terushima called, causing Hinata to pause and look back. The punk had both hands in his pockets; his head tilted back slightly. "Yeah, everyone around here knows you. You are the homeless wreck that pulled himself out of the gutter and started helping people." 

He pulled out his phone, showing Hinata a picture. Hinata stepped closer, seeing it was a distant photo of Kageyama and Hinata protecting the boys earlier that evening. He swiped again, and it was Hinata helping an elderly homeless man care for his dog. The last picture was Hinata giving a price of.jerky to a stray alley cat. Jonathan's skin began to crawl as he looked up at this street punk or stalker. Terushima laughed and put away his phone. 

"Hey, don't look at me. Daddy Daichi and Alpha K told everyone to watch your back in case the police or someone tried to mess with you. Suga was the one who suggested each of us take pictures for updates. Take it up with them." He paused, pulling out his phone again. "Speaking of, since you are kinda an underground celebratory, would ya mind taking a selfie?"

"Um… sure." Hinata almost laughed when Terishima pumped his fist in the air and threw his arm around Hinata's shoulder. 

"Sweet, selfie!" Terushima stuck out his tongue and grinned, throwing up a peace sign. Hinata smiled, relaxing a little around the complete stranger. "Shit, try again." Terushima cursed, trying the camera from a different angle. Eventually, Hinata found himself in the park a half a block away, sitting on Terishima's shoulders and sticking his tongue out for the silly photos Terishima insisted on taking. 

“Sweet! Finally, I got it.” Terushima approved of the photo, fist-bumping Hinata. “Cool to meet you, by the way, finally. Sorry if I looked like a stalker before.” Terushima laughed, ruffling Hinata’s hair. 

“Oh no, it’s fine. Hey! Stop that.” Hinata fussed, wiggling himself out of Terashima’s grip. “I should probably be getting back, though. Kageyama is probably getting worried, and I don’t want to be late for my shift at Ukai’s.”

“Yeah, no problem, Mini Spiderman. Hey, if you ever need a ride, you can hop on the back of my bike.” Hinata’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You have a motorcycle.” Terushima grinned, pulling out a pair of keys and twirling it around his fingers. 

“Yeah, buddy. Won it off Tanaka after he had one too many shots. It was his pride and joy.” Hinata frowned, slightly less excited. “Oh, don’t worry. He had three more backup pride and joys in his shop. Don’t let the title fool you; if anything is that man’s pride and joy, it’s his super crush on Kiyoko.”

“Oh, can I see it?” Hinata asked, Terishima already walking to the curb where a large tarp covered a motorcycle-shaped lump. Terushima grinned, showing off his tongue piercing. 

“Meet Stinger, my baby,” Terushima said proudly as he ripped off the cover in two semi-fluid movements. That did not stop Hinata’s eyes from widening in shock. The sleek design of the hyperbike blacked-out paint with a neon yellow trim added to the bike's overall expression. Its cocky design mixed with the bold color seemed to match Terishima’s attitude to the letter. Hinata's eyes grew even wider when he crouched down to get a closer look at the engine. “Yep, she is a Suzuki-” 

“GSXR one thousand with illegal turbo and customization? Plus, police radar attached with custom self-locking with a passcode and vocal identification? This is so amazing!” Hinata bounced around the bike, inspecting it at every angle while Terishima stood back in silent shock. “This could easily go for over one hundred thousand American dollars. And the tires? They are off-road compatible- This bike is so freaking cool!” Hinata began bouncing around it, his eyes bulging with delight. If he had seen a bike like this in his old day’s he would have worshiped the owner of the bike and done everything in his power to steal it. This dampened his spirits slightly before he realized for the first time in his life, he could enjoy the beauty of something without having to think about the price tag. He beamed, rushing around and inspecting every centimeter of the bike as if it was a work of art, and to Hinata, it was.

“Damn, Hinata! You sure know your shit!” Terushimasaid excitedly, mirroring Hinata’s excitement as the two boys rushed around the bike in excitement. Then the block was lit up with red and blue lights that silently crept forward. 

“Bake away from the bike, Terushima,” Daichi growled over the speaker. Terushima yelped and grabbed the sleek black and yellow helmet from the back of the bike, and jumped on. He sent a two-finger salute to Hinata before putting the visor down. 

“Until next time, Hinata! I’ll stop by the shop later if I finish my work early!” And with a roar and a high pitched buzz, Terishima disappeared into the city in a flash. Hinata waved before turning to the cop car, gulping when he saw Daichi glaring up at him. 

“Get in the car, Hinata.” He did so, bowing his head in shame as he slammed the door shut. Daichi turned off his radio and started driving down the street slowly. “Don’t get involved with Terushima, Hinata. 

“I wasn’t-” 

“You might not have meant to, but just being seen with him puts a target on your back.” Daichi snapped, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. “Look, everyone in our little group knows you have a past and don’t want to risk getting sent back to prison. We are trying to look out for you, but if you start getting too close to Tanaka, Terushima, and Kenma, things will go south, fast. If you want to stay out, stay out. Otherwise…” Daichi went quiet after that; his expression mirroring the conflicting emotions from his thoughts. Hinata’s stomach turned, and he gripped it tightly, lip trembling. 

“Daichi…” Hinata mumbled. “Do...do you know what I did?” Daichi’s face softened, and he patted Hinata’s shoulder. 

“No, but I don’t know about Kenma or Kuroo, but they are kinda their own group. Don’t worry; no one is going to invade your privacy like that. You are trying to walk away from your past and make a fresh start. Who besides you have a right to share what you are trying to walk away from.” Hinata breathed a sigh of relief and slumped back in his seat. He watched the city roll by as his mind wandered. His past, and how he had been locked up, they stay in that awful prison despite being a minor. He wasn’t innocent by any stretch of the imagination, but he believed people could be redeemed. He had to. 

“Kageyama was asking about you. He refused to leave until you came back.” Daichi said before they pulled into the station. Hinata undid his seatbelt with a frown. “Said something like ‘the dumbass needs to help me empty my car’ or something,” Daichi said with a small laugh. Hinata laughed sheepishly. 

“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that.” He smiled at Daichi, who leaned across the center council as Hinata stepped out of the car. 

“Hey, Hinata.” He called, making Hinata pause in closing the door. “You are a good guy, and obviously, whatever you did before didn’t change that. Don’t beat yourself up about what happened in your past.” Hinata smiled and nodded in understanding, closing the door before walking back into the police station. 

He didn’t dare to say what he wanted to say. That even good guys do evil things. That it wasn’t his past that sent him running out the door earlier that night. It was because he was a good guy that trusted too quickly. Who saw the good in people when they probably didn’t deserve it. That he wanted to help, even if it meant he got hurt too. He paused at the front door, his hand on the handle. Did he want to go in there when his mind wasn’t right like this? Could he handle all the bad memories that came with this place?

“Oi, Dumbass!” Hinata yelped, jumping into the air before flattening himself against the door. Kageyama was leaning against his BMW passenger door, glaring up at Hinata with his thick overcoat pulled around his body and hands buried in his pockets. “Way to leave me doing your fucking job. Had to carry all the damn coffee inside after a fucking interrogation.” 

“Well, I had to take care of a few things. I was coming right back!” Hinata objected, walking down to talk with Kageyama without shouting across the entire town. He stepped forward and stood in front of Kageyama; his long-sleeve was not enough to protect him against the late-night chill. Kageyama’s hand shot out, and he grabbed the top of Hinata’s head and began to squeeze it painfully. 

“Don’t go running away from me, dumbass. I’m not here to be your personal chauffeur.” He growled. Hinata yelped and struggled against Kageyama’s grip. 

“Ow! It was one time, and I told you, I had to take care of a personal thing and didn’t wanna bother you!” He yelled. Kageyama released Hinata, the orange-haired man groping his head in pain while the other huffed loudly. 

“Whatever, let’s just get you home, dumbass.” He walked around the car and got in the front seat. Hinata leaned in the window with a worried frown. 

“Um, I actually need to get to my other job…”

“You what!” Kageyama yelled at the top of his lungs, his face going red with rage. “You… you kidding- fuck! Get in, dumbass!”Hinata jumped in the car as Kageyama began driving just over the speed limit. He drove at breakneck speed, and before long, Hinata saw the shop fly by, but Kageyama did not even slow down. 

“Hey, Kageyama. The shop is back there…” Kageyama cursed, blushing slightly as he pulled into a parking lot to turn around. Before he stopped in front of the shop, he sighed. 

“Do… do you need a ride home later?” He asked, not looking at Hinata. 

“No, it’s going to be pretty late. Plus, I can always ride the bus if I get too tired. Thanks, Kageyama.” 

“No problem, dumbass. Next time, don't make me wait for your ass.” Hinata stuck his tongue out before stepping out of the car. Kageyama waved goodbye, driving off. Hinata waved back, moving to step across the street before noticing the man leaning against Ukai's store. His close-cropped yellow hair was broken up on the sides of his head with two black stripes, piercing sunken eyes, making the snarling scowl he wore all the more menacing. He wore a dark black hoodie with sweats and running shoes that made him suspicious-looking character. The second Hinata locked eyes with him, he pushed off the wall and began stalking towards him. 

"Crap! Crap crap crap!" Hinata panicked, taking off down the street before running into a solid wall of muscle. Hinata stumbled back, looking up to see Iwaizumi standing in from of him with a scowl. 

"Thought I knew you from somewhere." He said, placing his hand on Hinata's shoulder to keep him from bolting. "Look, we just want to talk. Mad Dog isn't going to touch you." Hinata looked back in panic, watching as Mad Dog stopped and crouched like a punk, glare at the two men. 

"W-what do you w-want?" Hinata's stomach rolled like the ocean, and he hunched over. 

"Just to chat, Hinata." Oikawa stepped out of the passenger's seat of the car they stood next to, his flawless smirk only accented by his lush flowing hair. "Iwa-chan mentioned something about recognizing you, and I was curious why I recognized you. Then it hit me-"

"You are the motherfucker who got me locked up in jail for four years." Mad Dog growled, punching his palm. Iwaizumi glared, quieting the punk back into silence. Oikawa sniffed. 

"That, and you were the case that made my name as the youngest Prosecutor in history." He smiled, struggling Hinata's hair. "So, I just wanted to say thank you."

"Cut the shit, shittykawa." Iwaizumi snapped. "Look, we just want some information."

"What kinda information?" Hinata stammered, shaking in front of the men. 

"About your father. He is involved with the local gangs and the Nekoma mob as a police informant and keeps their dealings under wraps. We need someone that can get close and get evidence that no one else has access to. Such as… his only son joining his little operation." Oikawa smirked, pulling out a small lollipop and sucking on it gently. Iwaizumi gave Oikawa a side-eye before focusing on Hinata. 

"I-I don't know. I haven't talked to him in years, and he's my dad…" Hinata swallowed, his stomach turning so much he could hardly focus on anything else. Mad Dog growled and kicked the car. 

"Hey, Mad Dog! Bad!" Oikawa yelled, holding up a scolding finger to Mad dog. The punk snapped, sneering at Oikawa before Iwaizumi grabbed the front of his hoodie and brought their faces centimeters apart. 

"Back off, Mad Dog." Iwaizumi growled in a deep snarl, his eyes glaring into Mad Dog wide and heated ones. Huffing, Mad Dog looked away and allowed Iwaizumi to put him down and backed off. 

"Why does he only listen to you…" Oikawa sighed, shaking his head. "Anyway, Hinata, I have it on good authority that your father will welcome you with open arms. Just think! You can put him and a bunch of bad men in jail. Gangbangers, criminals, and you might even save some kids from going too far down the wrong path like you. Just think you can wash that blood from your hands just by doing one little favor for me." Oikawa pinched his fingers close together, closing one eye and looking through the small slit between his fingers.

Hinata swallowed the lump in his throating to have it creep back and choke him again. More than anything, he wanted to break free from his past and wash the blood from his hands. To not fall asleep with suffocating guilt each night and wake in a cold sweat in the morning. But to betray his flesh and blood? Despite his father walking out, stealing from his family, and probably enabling more criminals to do bad things, he was still Hinata's father. Maria's father and his mother's husband. His father might have worked with Kenma and Tanaka or whatever gang Ukai had made with the ragtag bunch of misfits. Could he risk it all for a clean slate?

"C-can I think about it?" Hinata mumbled under his breath. Iwaizumi and Mad Dog scowled Oikawa waved them down. He patted Hinata's shoulder in almost an understanding way. 

"Of course. I'll have Mad Dog and Iwaizumi come by in a week to see where you stand." He smiled, patting Hinata's head like a puppy before sitting back in the passenger's seat. Iwaizumi nodded to Hinata as he and Mad Dog got in the car. The punk growled as he passed Hinata, bumping roughly into the smaller man. 

"Murdering snitch." He hissed, joining Oikawa in the back seat. Oikawa rolled down the window, winking and throwing Hinata a peace sign. 

"See you in a week, Hinata. Think real hard about this deal." With that, he rolled up the window and drove off. Hinata was left in the cold night air staring at the flickering street light with a dog barking in the distance with the sounds of the city mixing with the blood in his ears. What could he possibly choose? A chance to redeem himself or risk everyone he now cared about finding out about his crime. Protect his friends and family or save himself and his sister and mother?

How could he possibly know where he stood when he was standing on both sides?

________

Hinata woke to a knock on his door, waking him from the deep sleep he had been enjoying free of nightmares. He groaned. 

"Go away…" he mumbled, burying his face in his pillow. His thick wool blanket Yachi gifted him was warm and heavy, seducing him to stay and squeeze out a few more minutes of sleep. The banging in the door grew louder, and Hinata whined. "Ok, I'm coming!" He yelled, pulling up his boxers and brushing back his hair from his eyes. He used the blanket as a cloak. He wrapped the blanket around his head and let the majority drag behind him across his floor. He opened the door enough to look through, yawning. 

"Oi, dumbass. You just gonna leave a girl waiting outside your door like that?" Kageyama snapped, slamming his hand on the door frame above the ginger. Hinata yelped, waking up more and seeing Yachi cowering behind Kageyama. She wore her tiny ponytail with a button-down blouse and blue jeans, her dark blue flats matching her earrings. She blushed, covering her eyes when she saw Hinata's bare chest. 

"I'm so sorry! I thought you got my text and were awake!" She squeaked. Hinata blinked in surprise and scrambled to cover himself with the blanket. He remembered Yachi texting him earlier that morning about hanging out with him at his apartment. 

"I'm so sorry, Yachi! I got off my shift four hours ago, and I completely forgot I texted you. I'll get.changed." he went to close the door before Kageyama's hand shot out. There was a loud bang, and Kageyama cursed. 

"Ow! Fuck, you dumbass, that hurt!" Hinata and Yachi both screeched and watch Kageyama clutch his bruised and swollen hand. "You are not leaving us outside because you forgot about hanging out with her. Go change in your room, and we will crash in the living room. Dumbass!"

"Ok, ok!" Hinata yelled, "You don't have to be such a jerkface about it." 

"You are the jerkface for being rude to a girl you invited over." Kageyama snapped. Hinata huffed and quickest changed. When he came out, he saw Kageyama drinking the last of Hinata's milk out of the carton while Yachi looked as of she was trying to stop him. 

"Um, Kegayama, sir? M-maybe we should wait until Hinata-" she stopped when she saw Hinata standing behind Kageyama. 

"Hey, Milk guy! That's mine." Hinata snapped, putting his hand on his hips. Kageyama shrugged and tossed the milk carton in the trash. 

"I was thirsty after waiting for you. I'll give you mine in the fridge; it's unopened." He looked Yachi up and down before shrugging. "Guess I'll leave you two alone." He walked out of the apartment with a nod to Hinata. Hinata glared him out of the apartment before turning to Yachi and smiling sheepishly. 

"Do you mind if I have a meat bun for breakfast?" Yacht smiled and shook her head. 

"No, not at all." Hinata relaxed gratefully and began preparing them breakfast. Yachi was easy to talk to for Hinata, despite being a girl. She was excitable and awkward but always open to Hinata's ramblings. They talked about work, which quickly turned into both a condition about who.worked harder before becoming a worry session for the other. They ended up on opposite ends of Hinata's couch, talking about their trivial lives when Hinata's stomach growled. 

"Man, you can really ear, Hinata." Yachi laughed before glancing at her watch. "Oh, crap! I promised Kiyoko I would talk about the case over dinner." She scrambled out of her seat, fumbling to get her jacket on. Hinata jumped up to help.

"Here." He stood behind her, gently lifting the jacket so she could slide her arms through. She paused, blushing, and mumbling a quiet, thank you. "Yachi? I have a legal question for you." 

"What's up?" She asked, pulling her keys out of her pocket. Hinata rubbed the back of his neck. Should I even ask? Was there anyone else he trusted or could afford to ask?

"Um… if you needed something removed from your record, how could you go about doing that?" Yachi put her finger to.her.lip, looking up at the ceiling as if she were trying to ready the answer from the heavens. 

"Well, it would depend. If it was a juvenile record, it should be sealed and only brought forward if it is called after another offense. Mostly, if its the first offense, it should be sealed after ten years. Again, its a case by case basis." Hinata nodded. 

"Can… can a prosecuted get ride of the record?" Yachi frowned, stepping away from Hinata nervously. 

"If the criminal offers something the court approves as compensation. Such as an informant being pardoned or exonerated even if they commuted murder. Again, its case by case." She paused, making Hinata nervous that she would put the pieces together. "Hinata, did you do something?" He laughed nervously. 

"No, not like that. I'm asking for a friend." He lied, looking at the floor. "Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you. Have fun at your dinner."

"It's ok, I'm happy to help. If you need help with your friend… you know you can talk to Kiyoko. We sometimes do pro bono cases." She offered, brushing some of her hair from her face. Hinata nodded gratefully. 

"Thanks." He opened the door and showed her out as a gentleman, waving as she walked down the hall. He slammed the door, quickly pulling out his phone. "I've made my decision." 

"Are you sure? Once you commit to this, there is no going back." The voice at the other end of the line warned. Hinata set his jaw. He looked out the window as stormclouds gathered above. A young crow perched on the railing of his balcony, cawing once into the darkening sky as if signaling the coming storm. It flapped its wings, its dark beady eyes staring through Hinata's soul. 

"I know where I stand now." 

_____

  
Note: I hate leaving chapter's on cliffhangers, but I couldn't find the right place to stop. Kageyama is a big rough baby, and I adore their interactions. I also see Yachi and Hinata's friendship getting closer and closer. I also love the pierced punk. We are getting closer to figuring out Hinata's past, but I will say it's a slow burn, and I love plot twists. 

After this chapter, I will be adding more perspectives other than Hinata's to deepen the reader's understanding of what's going on I'll be careful to make breaks so that it is easy to follow who's perspective it is. Please leave comments or theories on this work in progress. Thank you so much for enjoying this story with me.


	5. Murder of  Freedom Crows, Parliament of Suspicious Owls, Convocation Of  Legal Eagles, and A Clowder of Alley Cats

"Shoyo!" Natsu cheered, running out of the small two-bedroom cabin in Hinata's sleepy hometown. She lept over the railing and sent the morning dew in the grass flying. She was still in her pajamas, but she did not care when she saw her older brother pulling into the driveway. 

"Natsu!" Hinata jumped out of the car and ran at his little sister. They collided as the first rays of the morning sun broke across the valley over the mountains. Hinata went tumbling into the grass next to the small flower garden his mother and sister planted just a few days before. His shirt was quickly soaked by the dew, but he didn't care. After almost three years, he was able to hug his little sister he loved so much. His sister buried her face in his chest, crying loudly as she wrapped her small arms around his chest. 

"I missed you so much, you big mean jerk! Don't ever do that again! Why didn't you visit earlier!" Natsu began beating at Hinata's chest, her little fist barely affecting him, but he winced in sympathy. 

"Ow, Natsu, you got big. And I promise I tried, I just had to get money to you and mom first." Hinata explained, hugging his thrashing sister closer. She whimpered and hugged him tightly again as a woman with light orange hair stepped out from the rickety door. 

"Shoyo…" the woman breathed, using the door frame as support. Hinata looked up, his eyes welling with tears as emotions spilled out of his heart like a gazer. 

"Mom…"The woman stepped forward, her long sleeve shirt catching an exposed nail in the door frame as her bare feet padded across the splintering wood of the porch. Her small steps quickly changed to a sprint the second her feet his the soft grass of their front yard. She gathered both her children in her arms and hugged them close. 

"You are home… my little Shoyo is home safe and sound." She cried. The tears in Hinata's eyes spilled over, and he hugged his mom tighter. She smelled like home, a mix of freshly made meat buns, cherry blossoms, and a hint of honey tea. They all cried, holding one another as if the moment was just a dream. They held each other until the tears began to dry, and their sobs quieted. The world slowly came back into focus for the small family as they began pulling themselves apart from one another. Hinata beamed, ruffling Natsu's hair. 

"Miss you, Natsu." Hinata sighed, laughing as she stomped her foot and clenched her fists. 

"You have a lot of catching up to do, big bro! You haven't played volleyball with me in years." She shouted accusingly at Hinata. Hinata grinned, picking up his little sister and putting her on his shoulders. 

"What are we waiting for? Let's go see that net you and mom set up!" Nasty cheered, leaning forward to urge Hinata forward. 

"Hold it!" Hinata's mom's arm shot out and grabbed the back of Hinata's shirt. "What about your friends?" Hinata looked back at Tanaka and Sugawara, standing awkwardly by the car. 

"Oh, sorry!" Hinata yelled, running over to stand by his friends. "This is Tanaka, he's the one who showed me around the city."

"Wonderful to meet you, ma'am! Your son is fearless, and I am glad to take him under my wing. You are very beautiful, Madam Hinata!" Tanaka stood at attention the moment Hinata introduced him, his words short and clipped as if he had rehearsed them for hours. Hinata and Suga both cringed at Tanaka's awkward introduction. However, Hinata's mom just smiled. 

"I'm glad you are looking out for my son. Are you one his friends from…" she frowned, afraid of the answer. Tanaka laughed and jammed his thumb into his own chest.

"Don't worry, Miss. I'm the guy criminals run from. Too tough to mess with and too clean to deal. I'll help keep your son on the straight and narrow." Suga stepped forward and clamped his hand on Tanaka's mouth. 

"What this loudmouth is trying to say is that we don't mean any harm. Tanaka owns his own shop, and I work in education. Actually, I'm getting my first class next year." Suga let go of the angry Tanaka and bowed to Hinata's mother. "My name is Sugawara Koshi, and it is a pleasure to meet you both. Hinata talks about you in great detail." 

"Oh, well, then." Hinata's mom laughed. "It's wonderful to meet you both. I'm glad he has proper role models now, even after everything. It makes me worry a little less with him working in the city." There was a slightly awkward pause before Hinata's mother cleared her throat. "Come in, I just made breakfast. You must be starving after the trip."

"You bet, ma'am!" Tanaka cheered, rushing forward to hold open the door. Natsu stared at Suga, who smiled back. 

"Are you an angel?" Hinata almost dropped Natsu as Suga laughed. 

"Nope, just a normal man. I do appreciate the compliment." Natsu climbed down from Hinata's shoulders and stood in front of Suga. 

"Do you have a girlfriend?" 

"Natsu!" Hinata yelled, lunging forward and grabbing Natsu and putting his hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry, Suga. She's just joking-" 

"No, I'm not!" Natsu yelled, wiggling out of her brother's grip and hiding behind Suga, peaking around his waist to stick her tongue out at her brother. Suga chuckled nervously. 

"No, I don't have a girlfriend-" Natsu grabbed Suga's hand, dragging him toward the back of the house. 

"Well, I'm your girlfriend now, and we are going on a date." She said with finality. Hinata grabbed her arm and crouched down to look her in the eyes. 

"Natsu, Suga can't be your boyfriend. He is too old-"

"Then, I can wait." She said stubbornly. Hinata narrowed his eyes. 

"That doesn't matter. He doesn't want a girlfriend now or ever." Natsu tilted her head in confusion before looking up at Suga's pale face. 

"Is my brother your boyfriend?" Hinata buried his face in the dirt. Why did his sister have to be like this? Sugawara burst out laughing. A real, genuine, full chested laugh left the silver-haired man falls to his butt and clutching his stomach. "What! Shoyo hasn't brought a girl home even and then shows up with two boys? Awfully suspicious if you ask me." She crossed her arms over her chest, glaring between the two leveled men. 

"Natsu… why are you so cruel?" Hinata moaned, wishing the earth would swallow him at that moment. Suga had gained enough composure to speak by then, wiping his eyes. 

"Yes, I can see why you would think that. But no, we are both single." Suga relaxed, standing up and wiping off his pants. "Let's play volleyball." Natsu beamed. 

"Ok, we can play as friends. It's too bad Shoyo isn't dating you. You would make an amazing husband." Hinata's heart hurt, both for Sugawara and himself. He knew Sugawara would only ever have eyes for Daichi, a story of silent and agonizing unrequited love that Suga held with such dignity that it could be compared to a saint. As for Hinata himself… he didn't want to think about it. 

"That's very sweet of you. Come on, let's go play volleyball." Natsu, Sugawara, and Hinata all took off to the backyard where a full-scale sand volleyball court was set up. Hinata and Suga stared in shock while Natsu puffed up her chest with her hands on her hips. 

"Yep! Shoyo sent enough money home that momma could buy this place and build the volleyball court we always wanted. The nets are too tall for me, but it’s teaching me how to jump really really high!” Suga looked at Hinata, and the two men grinned. 

“You play volleyball, right?” Hinata asked. Suga slicked back his hair and grinned. 

“I was the starting setter for my high school team three years in a row.” He said proudly. Hinata took off his shoes and rolled up his sleeves. 

“Well, I guess you can play a game or two before you and Tanaka head back home. If you don’t mind getting crushed by the super amazing Hinata duo!” Hinata paused, realizing that it was an uneven number of players before Tanaka came running out the back door. 

“Did someone call for an Ace!” Tanaka yelled, ripping off his shirt and flexing his muscles on the opposite side of the net.

"Tanaka! Put your shirt on!" Sugawara yelled, grabbing the fluttering shirt and slamming it back over Tanaka's head. 

"Sorry, Suga." Tanaka bowed, blushing slightly. Natsu cheered and hugged her brother. 

“I finally get to play volleyball with my big brother.” She said happily, smiling up at Hinata. He nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat. After three years, he was finally getting to do what he always wanted; to make his little sister happy and play volleyball. Suga joined Tanaka on the other side of the net and waited patiently for the siblings to finish having their moment. Hinata caught a glimpse of his mother in the window, watching with a proud smile. Hinata grinned and grabbed the volleyball from the back porch and showed Natsu where to stand to serve the ball. 

“Now, Natsu, I recommend you hit it like this because you aren’t tall or strong enough to-” Natsu huffed and shrugged her brother off. She bolted forward, throwing the ball in the air and hitting a square jump serve. The ball wobbled over the net just out of reach of the two diving men and landed with a soft thud in the sand. The three men stared in shock at both the ball and Natsu. The little player grinned, puffing out her chest. 

“I got a lot stronger while you were gone, big brother. I made sure I could beat you this time.” She boasted. Hinata grinned.

“Heck yeah, Natsu!” He said, giving her a high five while Suga threw her two thumbs up. Tanaka cheered her on in the loudest way possible until Sugawara smacked the back of his head. The four of them started playing again, occasionally giving out tips to one another as they played. Natsu stumbled a lot after her unital serve, but Tanaka and Suga were more than supporting. 

“Nice set, Natsu!” Hinata praised, jumping as high as he could to spike the ball just over Tanaka’s head. He felt his legs leave the earth, the rush of air blow past his face as his body launched itself into the sky. His muscles acted as if they had never stopped playing volleyball. His arm arched back, ready to deliver a bone-crushing spike over the net. 

Yes, this is perfect, Hinata thought to himself. His hand stung from hitting the spike, but the feeling was forgotten when he heard the volleyball slam into the sand beside Sugawara. 

“Crap, sorry, Tanaka!” Suga laughed, landing heavily after attempting to block Hinata. Tanaka shrugged. 

“You good, man. We can’t totally crush the kid in the first set, after all.” Tanaka teased. Natsu stood beside her brother as tall as she could with her hands on her hips. 

“With Shoyo here, we have the best team hands down. Us Hinata's never loses!” She declared to her opponents. The two men laughed as all three of them started trash-talking, but Hinata wasn’t listening anymore. He stood, frozen in the middle of the sandy court as if time had stopped only for him. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead and the back of his neck as the world faded away into static.

Hinata remembered when he watched it bounce on the court for the final time that last year of middle school. Barely scraping together enough money to buy the proper shoes and uniform for the tournament, Hinata was alone. His teammates were friends who barely knew how to play and were not all that athletic. They preferred to skip classes or egg a house rather than play a sport. In all honesty, Hinata was sure they hated the game. The competition that took him away from his life of poverty and hunger. It closed to him when the larger spiker had slammed the ball to the ground in front of him. It had not mattered how high he jumped or how quickly he moved; the result was decided before he got on the court. He wondered why he had even tried in the first place. What if he hadn’t taken that turn down the alley to meet up with his father and his friends? What if he had just gone home with his friends for ice cream like they all wanted? Would his life have changed?

“Hinata?” He heard Suga’s voice as if it were coming through the water, but his mind was pulling him elsewhere. 

To the night when he committed his first crime during his summer before high school. He broke into a small shop with his dad, using his natural athletic talent to jump over the gate and unlock the shop. He had gotten a rush, but it was nothing like what he felt with volleyball. They managed to pay that month’s rent and food with what they stole, but it wasn’t enough for his father. 

“You are the man of the house now. I have to go off and do bigger things to provide a life for you and your sister. You gotta take up my mantle.” After that speech, Hinata never saw his father again. He didn’t think so much as call when the worst night of Hinata’s life happened. He remembers stealing, sometimes skipping school to shoplift from neighborhood stores that had been nothing but sympathetic to his family. Then came that night…

“Shoyo, my little sunshine… it’s ok. You are home now.” Hinata blinked, his mother’s voice gently washing away all the memories like a gentle breeze. Her warm hands cupped his chin as she brought his eyes to meet hers. There was a quiet understanding in those eyes, a tired sadness that hurt Hinata to see in his mother’s eyes. “You were begging for your father.”

“Did Natsu-” Hinata panicked. He would hate himself if his sister had to be reminded of that awful ordeal any more than she had to. His mother shook her head and ran her fingers through his hair. 

“No, Suga and Tanaka pulled her away to practice before she could hear you. You have amazing friends now, Shoyo.” She said proudly. “Suga is a teacher, and Tanaka owns his own business. He promises to employ you if you ever lost your job at the coffee shop or convenience store.” She sat next to him on the porch, wrapping her arm around her son’s shoulder. Hinata offered a small smile as he folded his shaking hands in his lap. 

“Yeah, I’m doing great now, mom. Better than either you could ever imagine. I'm sorry I mentioned dad...” He felt his mother tense at the mention of his father.

“Yes, you had me worried for a long time. You were always a happy and energetic child, which only got worse when you were in volleyball. You begged your father and me so much to let you play. Never once did I regret a single day that I spent at work because I knew I would come home to see you practicing from that hand me down volleyball." His mother smiled longingly at the memory. 

"My one regret is letting your father go with you to your game instead of me. Ever since that day, trouble seemed to be out to get you. I worried every day that I would wake up to find my little Shoyo...” Her words caught in her throat, emotion choking her words until she could no longer speak. Hinata hugged his mom, burying his face in her neck. He hated seeing her cry or even upset, especially when he was the cause of her grief. She had sacrificed so much for him, and he thought she deserved the world, even if he couldn't give it to her right now. 

“I promise I’ll never make you worry about me again. My friends back in the city are taking good care of me and teaching me how to be strong and stand on my own the right way; the way dad never did. Don’t cry, mom.” He choked. Hinata gripped her tightly as he dared, considering he had gotten a lot stronger in the two months since he had gotten off the streets. His mom laughed shakily and hugged him tightly. 

“I believe you, Hinata. You were always strong, strong enough to care for your sister and me all on your own at a young age. I thank the gods every day to be blessed with a son like you.” She leaned away, wiping her eyes before placing a kiss on Hinata’s forehead just like she used to when he was a little kid. “Enough of this dark talk, you are home for a little while, and we best make the most of it. Will your friends be staying over tonight?” 

“No, Suga has a presentation due tomorrow, and Tanaka has a project to finish by the end of the week. They just wanted to make sure I got out here safely.” Hinata assured. His mother smiled and relaxed. 

“Well, call them in to get cleaned up for a late breakfast. I have to repay them somehow for helping to bring back my little Shoyo.” His mother pinned Hinata’s face between her hands and began plastering his face with kisses. Hinata squirmed, not used to the sudden rush of embarrassing affection, although he did not fight too hard. 

“Mom, this is embarrassing.” He complained. His mother chuckled before standing up. 

“That’s my job as your mother to embarrass you, Shoyo. Now, help me finish setting up for breakfast, and we can officially put this family’s life of crime to rest.” Hinata smiled tightly before following his mother. She did not need to know just yet...  
  
_____

Ukai sat in his bed with a printed police report in his hands as he glared at his wall. His cigarette dangled precariously from his lips as the soft yellow light above the board cast long shadows across the posted faces and lines of string that connected them. A bottle of alcohol sat on the floor next to his foot, barely touched since he had opened it not two hours before. Groaning softly, Ukai slammed the file among the dozens of others that littered his bed in frustration. 

“Fuck, I really fucking wish it could be anyone other than the kid.” He snapped, taking a long pull of his cigarette before putting it out in the overflowing ashtray. He heard his front door open, and an all too familiar pair of footsteps quietly padded down his hall before stopping at his door. Ukai did not even bother to look when a tired sigh escaped his lover’s lips. It might be Saturday, but the teacher never seemed to take the day off. 

“Keishin, you have to stop worrying like this. You are going to give yourself a heart attack.” Takeda dropped his bag next to his desk in the corner of the room. Ukai grunted. 

“The kid is the fucking key to everything. He has the skills and now has the connections to actually be able to pull shit off. Fuck, why does it have to be a good kid like him?” Ukai ripped out his headband and ran one hand through his hair in frustration. Ten years he had been working towards making a change in the city, and now the pieces were finally falling together. It may have been a chance that made him pick Hinata off the street, but Ukai was starting to think that fate had a cruel sense of humor. He had seen himself in the kid, but he never expected that Hinata would become the real lynchpin to his entire operation overnight. Suddenly, working the political angle, the people, and the gangs all at once did not seem like such an impossible feat. 

“You can’t seriously be thinking about letting him into the Crows.” Takeda snapped, standing beside Ukai and crossing his arms over his chest. “Hasn’t the boy gone through enough in his life? With a father like that, then what he went through in prison because of his father, and how he has a second chance at a good life? You aren’t that cruel.” He pleaded, rubbing Ukai's bare arm gently. Takeda forced himself to focus on the conversation and not on Ukai’s bare chest as he wore his work pants low on his hips to expose a sharp V. Despite not playing volleyball anymore, Ukai had not slacked on his physical well being; even if he smoked almost a pack of cigarettes a day. Ukai placed his hand over Takeda’s without taking his eyes off the board. 

“The kid called me and practically begged Specs. What was I supposed to say?” Ukai sighed, still pulling at his hair as he closed his eyes. Takeda forced Ukai to face him, cupping his chin, so the taller man was forced to look at him. 

“Tell him to get out. Run as fast as he could away from this city and be with his family. It might be too late for us, but how can we convince ourselves we are the good guys if we corrupt an innocent child for selfish gain?” Ukai growled in frustration and jerked his head away. 

“It was too late for me, but you had your shot at getting out. The kid lost his innocence a long time ago, so don’t try using that excuse.” Ukai winced when the words escaped his lips, and Takeda stepped away from him. “Wait, Specs-” 

“I’m getting in the shower.” Takeda snapped, turning on his heel and marching into the tiny bathroom and slammed the door. Ukai groaned and sat slowly back down on the bed. He cursed his own stupidity for the fight but also did not know how to fix it. He heard the shower turn on, Takeda's kicking the small lip of the shower as he tended to do when he did not wear his glasses. Sighing, Ukai followed his lover in. He stepped into the shower naked as he was born, looking at the bare back of the man he fell for. The scars of persecution still etched like dark scripts across his lover’s back, his wiry frame matching the fragility of his physical prowess from many hours trapped in a lecture hall or library to escape the story the scars had etched into his body. However, Takeda’s figure did not match the inner lion Ukai had come to both fear and admire. While the scars on his skin had healed, the wounds in Takeda's heart were healed and served to only make him an unstoppable man. The teacher stood under the water and let it wash down his bowed head and back in absolute stillness. 

“Specs, you know I didn’t mean it like that.” Takeda’s shoulder stiffened, and he lifted his face to the spray of the water without a word. Ukai let a small smile creep into his lips as he watched his stubborn boyfriend give him the silent treatment. “As I recall, you were the one who spent weeks trying to convince me to join your little volleyball club a few years back. Then your dumbass asked me to have a few drinks, and how did you put it? The rest is history?”

“You are never going to let me live that down, are you?” Takeda groaned, leaning against the shower wall with his forehead resting against his forearm. Ukai smirked at the view this provided him but forced himself to stay on track. 

“Nah, I wouldn’t be me if I did.” Ukai reached for his boyfriend and gently turned him around to face him. He then switched places and pressed Takeda’s back against the cold shower wall as he trapped him between his forearms and stared deeply into the two vast pools of liquid chocolate. “Listen, I’m not making this decision lightly. Of course, I want to protect the kid, but what about the others? He isn’t in a group or position of power, yet everyone is bending over backward for this kid. Sooner or later, a hot and heavy cop or prosecutor is going to try and use him to get to all of us. That will send Hinata straight back to prison without the hope of making it out.” 

“Keishin, they won’t-” 

“Oikawa’s got a hardon for Hinata’s father’s operation.” Ukai interrupted, “It distracts him from our movements and gives us room to go back to our old operations. He thinks he is going to use Hinata to get rid of both sides while catapulting himself into the position of mayor or beyond and run things like they always have been, but Hinata is going to make sure that doesn’t happen. We are getting just as much protection from him as we are going to give him when he joins.” 

“Keishin, we can’t put all our trust in the kid. I can’t risk getting fired, losing my doctorate, or even…” He trailed off, tears welling in his eyes as the steam began to cloud the air between them. Ukai’s expression softened as he reached up to pinch Takeda’s chin between his two fingers. He placed a soft kiss against his lover’s lips, deepening the kiss when he felt the tears fall down his boyfriend’s cheeks. After a few heartbeats, he rested his forehead against Takeda’s. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect us. If I have to, I will be the big bad guy and pretend I blackmailed you into a relationship with me. I won’t let them use their hate to ruin the life you made of yourself.” He whispered, looking down into Takeda’s still glistening eyes. 

“No, you won’t do that.” Takeda sniffled, wiping his nose and glaring up at Ukai defiantly. “You won’t because we are going to change this city. We aren’t going to let those around us tell us what is right or wrong.” Ukai smirked, quaking an eyebrow. 

“All by ourselves? You might have one hell of a stubborn streak, but the city seems to have plenty of stubbornness.” Takeda shoved Ukai back and crossed his arms over his chest in a slight defiant pout. 

“If we have to do it by ourselves, then that’s what it’s going to take. I’m not losing you, Keishin.” Ukai smiled and chased his boyfriend’s lips again before capturing them with his own. 

“Ya ain’t gonna lose me, Specs. Who would help your clueless ass coach volleyball in their spare time?” 

“Oh, shut up! I’ve gotten a lot better, and the kids like me more.” Takeda objected before nipping Ukai’s bottom lip. Ukai grinned and pulled away. A shadow fell over his eyes as he stared down predatorily at the small, defenseless, and very naked teacher. 

“Oh? You think you got the skills to compete with me, Specs?” Takeda blushed, his breath growing shallow as he looked up to his domineering boyfriend. Takeda swallowed as Ukai began slowly leaning forward and moving towards his neck. 

“Don’t-don’t try to distract me. We were talking about...ah!” Ukai pinned Takeda to the shower wall, grinning against his neck. 

“Ain’t distracted at all, Specs. You have my undivided attention…” 

____

Kuroo squeezed the plunger in the syringe, watching as the clear liquid squirted into the air above him under the white light of the seemingly abandoned warehouse. The fresh morning air made it comfortable for him to wear his black suit with his overcoat to avoid getting blood on his white undershirt. His black gloves made the silver of the syringe stand out like the blade of an executioner's knife. 

“Wait, please! Don’t do this! I’ll give you whatever you want-” The criminal tied to the chair groaned the other Yamamoto’s fist connected to his already battered jaw. Kuroo’s enforcer cracked his knuckles, now red and bleeding from the perfuse beating he had delivered to Kuroo’s victim. Yamamoto had rolled up his sleeves to avoid getting blood on them, but it seemed that the effort had been futile. The criminal spat blood on his shoes, the designer leather glistening with the crimson liquid. 

“Aw, fuck you!” Yamamoto snapped, stomping over to Lev as the Russian laid out on an abandoned crate under another light not far from the criminal. The tall Russian let a small puff of smoke drift from his lips, his unfocused eyes clearing as Yamamoto snatched the blunt from his mouth. 

“Hey…” The silver-haired enforcer in training whined, attempting to snatch back the blunt before slumping against the crate to enjoy his numb high. Yamamoto sniffed. 

“Your ass needs to sober up. I’m not dragging you back. Though Kenma might kill you and be done with it.” Yamamoto snickered as he took a long hit of the blunt. “Fuck, that hits hard.” Kuroo glared at his two underlings before turning his attention back to his victim. 

“I’m not going to do anything. Kenma, on the other hand...” Kuroo smirked and passed the syringe to the smaller man. Kenma’s eyes gleamed with a viscous light, his mouth pulled down in an unreadable frown. The criminal snorted. 

“What’s this little bitch gonna do? Throw some of his drag makeup at me?” The criminal laughed nervously as he eyed Kenma up and down. Kenma was dressed in a tight black crop top and flowing skirt with a pair of delicate flats. If anyone looked at him, they would indeed think he was a woman hanging off Kuroo’s arm for the night. From the glittering eyeshadow to the shining pink glint of his lips. his flowing hair had been pinned away from his eyes with perfectly manicured oval nails glinted in the morning sunlight. Kenma had transformed into something far more terrifying than a crossdresser in the criminal’s eyes. The hacker and second in command had become a living ghost of one of his victims. 

“You hurt Shoyo. For that, you will die painfully here, all alone, in the warehouse where you raped and killed three innocent girls.” Kenma stepped forward as the criminal began to squirm against his restraints. There was no mercy in the usually shy man's eyes, and the two men both knew it. 

“Stop! Fucking get away from me!” Kenma did not even flinch as he stabbed the criminal’s neck, never breaking eye contact as he pressed the plunger. 

“Shoyo said the same thing to you, but did you stop?” Kenma deadpanned, leaving the needle stuck in the man’s neck as he pulled off his latex gloves. The painful whimpering of the dying criminal's words did not seem pitiful enough for Kenma; he was not suffering enough yet. “Kuroo, can I borrow your gun?”

“As long as you promise not to kill Lev or me.” Kuroo shrugged, handing over his M9 pistol. 

“I won’t shoot him anywhere fatal,” Kenma promised as he aimed the gun at the criminal’s crotch. The man’s eyes widened despite the copious amount of drugs pulsing through his veins.

“No, don’t!” He screamed before Kenma pulled the trigger. Once, twice, three, four times. Kuroo covered himself, masking the movement by pretending to adjust his jacket. Kenma handed the gun back as the criminal screamed in agony. 

“I wonder if he will die of blood loss or OD first.” Kenma pondered almost to himself, picking up his game system and began to play. Kuroo chuckled and whistled to his now stoned driver and bodyguard. The criminal begged to die, the hallucinogenic drug Kuroo had developed coursing through his body and serving to make his last moments of agony unbearable. Kuroo gently wrapped his arm around Kenma, completing the mafia boss's illusion and quiet arm candy duo he had become famous for. 

“Probably gonna flatline at the same time. Are you ready for our date?” Kuroo teased, opening the door for Kenma. The smaller crossdresser crawled inside, tucking his legs daintily under his skirt and brushing his hair from his eyes. He glared up at Kuroo from the back seat of Kuroo’s personal limo. 

“We are meeting with the Mayor and his underlings, not going on a date. Honestly, I’d rather be hunting for our next target so I can show Shoyo he doesn’t have to worry anymore.” Kenma’s eyes remained trained on his game, the soft light illuminating his uncaring expression with the dark confines of the blacked-out limo. Kuroo straightened outside the limo and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in through his nose to smell the wildflowers that surrounded the warehouse in the abandoned part of the city. The wind ruffled his hair pleasantly, and he smirked. 

“If only I could get you to do this without extreme and unpredictable motivation, I would have the perfect assassin…” He lamented. Shrugging, he got in the car and made a call. “Oya, we got a cleanup job for you and your boys. You know where to look by now.” He hung up with a smirk. “I wish you would dress up like this when we are home. Did you go all the way this time…” Kuroo reached under Kenma's skirt and felt just before Kenma’s leg shot out and hit him in the jaw. 

“Keep your pervy hands off of me, or I’ll kill you.” He snapped, scooting to the other side of the seat, and continued to play his game. Kuroo’s nose began to bleed, and he grinned. Kenma wore the lacy thong this time…

“You gonna do that when we get home?” Kuroo teased, smirking as Kenma glanced up at him. To the mafia boss’s surprise, Kenma smirked. 

“Depends, are you going to put on a show for me?” 

Fuck, Kuroo thought as blood began dripping from his nose, how can he look so cute and say such sinful shit? He leaned forward and knocked on the glass to speak with Yamamoto and Lev. 

“Take a long way. We are gonna need to be late for our meeting…” 

_______

Tsuki panted as he leaned up against the table of Tadashi’s apartment, his head thrown back as he gritted his teeth to silence the groan from escaping his lips. He winced and grabbed Tadashi’s hair. 

“Don’t fucking bite, dumbass…” Tadashi looked up at the officer he worshiped, his eyes shining with awe as a drop off drool dripped from his lip. 

“S-Sorry, Tsuki…” He continued down Tsuki’s chest and got to his belt, kissing the soft spot on his navel before working at his uniform jeans' buttons. He only just managed to pull Tsuki’s pants down when the officer’s phone buzzed. Tadashi stopped, looking up at the red-faced officer. “Are you going to get that?”

“No.” The blond groaned, glaring down at his boyfriend. “Come on, Tadashi, I’ve been waiting a week for this- fuck!” He snatched his phone from the counter and slammed his head on the table. 

“Oya, we got a cleanup job for you and your boys. You know where to look by now.” Kuroo’s voice sounded through the phone and ended before Tsuki could even utter a word. The officer slammed his phone down on the counter and cursed. 

“I swear, I’m going to put a bullet through that smug bastard’s face.” He swore, bowing his head as his body ached for release. Tadashi looked at his boyfriend sympathetically before getting his own text from Kenma. 

“Sorry, Tsuki. I have work to do, as well.” He stood up and handed Tsuki his pants. The officer tossed them to the side and picked up the smaller hacker. Tadashi yelped in surprise, flailing and grabbing Tsuki’s neck frantically before his face exploded into a bright blush. “Tsukishima! Kenma just said I have to find the next target that assaulted Hinata-”

“The ginger’s sob story can wait. Mine is a lot more painful, and right now, you are the only one who can fix it. So shut the fuck up and get naked.” The hacker did not need to be told twice. 

____

Suga and Tanaka drove in silence back to his shop, the outskirts of the town soon breaking away to reveal the inner portions of the city. They took the back roads, neither one wanting to be alone on a Saturday but not having any excuse to hang out. Between Suga’s deadline and Tanaka’s demanding clients, neither really had time to hang out. Finally, Tanaka broke the silence. 

“The kid should really stay with his family, man. His sister is super fucking cute, and his mom is an absolute angel! Why the fuck is he getting himself roped back into this?” Sugawara sighed and rubbed his temple. 

“I wish I knew, Tanaka. All we can do is support him and protect him as much as we can.” He turned his head and glared at the shaved punk. “This means you have to work extra hard and be careful not to get rough with the police. We can’t let Hinata get caught up with petty bullshit.” Tanaka sniffed and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“They pick the fucking fights first, and you know it. Honestly, it wouldn’t be so bad if I got to talk to sweet angel Kiyoko just once more…” Tanaka’s face melted into a look of absolute bliss at the thought of the woman. Suga smiled and shook his head. 

“It’s never going to happen, Tanaka. Stop tormenting yourself.” He chided. Tanaka held up both middle fingers at Sugawara and made an ugly sneering expression. 

“Yeah, what do you know about love, eh college boy?” Suga winced before turning a corner.

“Not much.” Was his only reply before stopping in front of Ennoshita’s coffee shop. “Come on, we have to drop this off,” Tanaka grunted and followed Sugawara into the shop. Ennoshita held up one finger to them as a particularly rude customer started shouting in his face.

“Do you even know how to make coffee here? I want to speak to the manager!” The woman yelled, causing a scene during the afternoon lunch rush. Ennoshita raised his eyebrow, and Tanaka ducked behind Sugawara. 

“Oh man,” Tanaka breathed. “She doesn't know who she's messing with…” Ennoshita straightened his back and put his hands on his hip as the entire coffee shop went silent. 

“I own this shop, so I know exactly how to make the perfect cup of coffee, miss. I have gone all over the world and tasted more coffee than you could ever dream of. I also know that you tend to harass and bully my staff into giving you discounts and free drinks despite breaking policy. You publicly humiliate my staff because you are an entitled rich bitch that would not know if it was hot shit I put in your coffee this morning. So-” He took the coffee cup from between her hands and tossed it in the sink behind him. He turned back to her bewildered and aghast face to finish his rant. “You can consider yourself barred from this coffee shop, and I have already sent notices to the other shops about you. Have fun brewing your own coffee from now on, bitch.” He smiled, wiggling his fingers as the woman struggled to speak. 

“You asshole!” She attempted to lunge across the counter but never managed to get far. Tanaka and Sugawara were on the woman in a flash, gently dragging her outside and closing the door without a word. They both stood guard at the door, letting the woman curse and rave in their faces until an officer came by and escorted her away. Ennoshita was given high praise as the two Crow’s walked in the door, thanking everyone and rejecting the past numbers. Finally, the three men were able to escape into Ennoshita’s office. 

“I remember when you would have run away and cried the second a customer raised their voice, Ennoshita. When did you get so tough?” Sugawara teased, passing the envelope to the owner. Ennoshita shrugged and opened it to count the money. 

“I got tired of losing money and risking going under. Those types can kiss my ass for all I care.” He nodded, bowing in thanks to the two Crows. 

“So, you gonna hit up that super cute girl that gave you her number?” Tanaka teases, elbowing Ennoshita’s side. The owner sighed and opened the number slip. “Oh shit! Her brother is gay. The score, man.” 

“Maybe if I was interested in anyone like that. Is it too hard to ask to just have a companion that doesn’t wanna hook up and have the sex?” He paused, blushing as Tanaka burst out laughing, and Sugawara patted his head. “I mean-” 

“It’s fine, Ennoshita. You will find someone someday.” Suga soothed, grabbing Tanaka by the collar of his shirt and pulling him towards the door. “Just understand that Hinata is going to be working for us, so you might need to find someone else to call to fill last-minute shifts.” Ennoshita nodded in understanding. 

“Got it. Good luck.”

____

Yachi scrambled around the office, papers flying from her hands as she tripped over a loose throw rug. She landed hard, papers spilling out from their folders as she fell. She cursed, scrambling to fix her mistake. Her hair was a mess with her blouse, all wrinkled from the day before. She rubbed her eyes, sitting back on her heels and staring at the mess in front of her. 

“Kiyoko is going to kill me…” She whimpered, clutching the sides of her head in panic. “She needs these files to get Hinata’s record expunged, but I also had that pro bono case with the mother, and then there was the homeless man suing the diner-” 

“Here,” Yachi looked up and was surprised to see her fellow law student, Kiyoomi Sakusa, crouch down and refile the papers. His short suit was immaculate as always, and his gloves almost glowed in the late afternoon light. His fitted mask gave him nearly an unapproachable look, but he was very welcoming when Yachi got him to actually talk like a person instead of like a robot about the cases. 

“Thanks, Sakusa. You are a lifesaver.” Yachi breathed a sigh of relief before helping to pick up her mess. 

“Just be sure to wash your hands after crawling around on this dirty floor. I also cleaned the vacuum so you can run it later.” Yachi’s face fell when she realized he was just trying to be his old self; always a germaphobe. 

“Sakusa? Your client is on the phone, and he had a few questions.” Kiyoko said from the doorway of the officer, tilting her head to the side. “Is everything alright?”

“Yachi, simply tripped.” Sakusa shrugged, changing his gloves before taking the phone from Kiyoko. “Sir? Yes, this is Sakusa, I have read the email you sent me. Please refrain from giving such personal details in an open-sourced email…” He left, leaving Kiyoko and Yachi alone in her private office. 

“I’ll be done before you have to make dinner, Kiyoko. I’ll also have that opening statement you requested first thing in the morning.” Yachi stammered, rushing to put away the paper. 

“You are confusing the files.” Kiyoko corrected gently. She knelt down next to Yachi, her bright blue blazer and slacks fitting perfectly around her narrow body. Her thin glasses glinted in the late afternoon light as she picked up a file Yachi had picked up. “See? This is Patterson’s files, not the Hemsworths. If you are going to pick up, you have to make sure the files are correct or face huge problems down the road.”

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” Yachi gasped in horror. “I am such a failure! I promise I’ll be extra careful this time-” Kiyoko giggled and placed a small kiss on Yachi’s cheek. The blond’s mind went blank as she felt the tingling sensation lingering on her cheeks, where Kiyoko’s lips had brushed. The lawyer took her subordinate's hand, gently rubbing her thumb across the sensitive skin on the back of her palm.

“You need to breathe, Yachi. Getting stressed is not good for a defense lawyer, even one in training.” A faint blush crept into the raven-haired woman’s cheeks as she smiled at Yachi. “Once we finish these cases, you and I can take a nice relaxing vacation to a beach somewhere and forget about all this.” She promised. Yachi nodded, still dumbfounded about the kiss, despite it not being the first nor the most intimate one they shared. 

“Yes, um… this was the file you requested for Hinata’s expungement.” She grimaced at how awkward it sounded coming from her mouth after listening to Kiyoko’s kind words. Kiyoko took the file and began to read over it. 

“Thank you, this is perfect.” there was a brief awkward silence before Kiyoko spoke again. “Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“Yes, please, Miss Kiyoko,” Yachi said a little too quickly. 

“I am to assume it is a girl's night?” Sakusa sighed at the door. Yachi panicked while Kiyoko smiled.

“If you care to join us, you are more than welcome.” She offered. Sakusa shook his head and answered his phone, stepping out once again. “I guess he doesn’t want to join us for our girl's night. Though he does own that bar, so I guess he is going to be busy anyway.” Kiyoko laughed softly. Yachi blushed. 

“No, I guess not.” Kiyoko’s phone buzzed, prompting her to answer with a curious expression.

“Hey, it’s Oikawa here. Would you mind squeezing me into your schedule to talk about a mutual client of ours? I’m sure that we are on the same side regarding a particular short ginger? How about five-thirty Monday morning?” 

____________

Oikawa hummed softly as he typed at his computer in his private office alone. He had sent all of his assistance homes, even the pretty little secretary that promised she could help him finish his work. He played with the idea but decided that she was just not worth the effort tonight. He might be a playboy in the office, but he wasn’t cheap. He unconsciously reached for his coffee and went to take a sip before realizing that he had finished it three sips ago. He sighed as he pulled his tie loose around his neck and popped the first two buttons of his dress shirt. 

“I guess it’s time to switch to a nice relaxing drink.” He got up and walked over to his polished liquor cabinet and pulled out one small glass and a bourbon. Pouring himself two or three shots, he downed the first glass before pouring himself another. He told himself it was because he was stressed out on a Saturday and deserved to indulge himself. He brought his second glass to his lips before a hand clamped firmly around the top. 

“I think you had enough, Shittykawa.” Iwaizumi growled, taking the glass from Oikawa and downing the drink himself. Oikawa huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I'm a grown-ass adult that can drink however much I want. I thought I sent you home, Iwa-chan? What, didn’t wanna leave my handsome side?” Oikawa grinned, alcohol already working through his body with his empty stomach and lack of care. Iwaizumi’s eyes narrowed, and he snorted. 

“No, I just have to watch your ass after you made that stupid call to Kiyoko. You know how risky that was.” He bent down to put away the bourbon, not noticing Oikawa’s straying eyes to his back and legs. 

“I know, Iwa-chan. I just want to have a little fun. Besides, I want this little ploy we plotted to go off without a hitch, so my seat is guaranteed.” Oikawa ran his hand through his hair as he sang his own praise, smiling at a scowling Iwaizumi. 

“You are an asshole for using the kid at all. It’s bad enough you roped Kyōtani into this twisted plot of your, but Hinata didn’t deserve the blackmail.” Oikawa frowned. 

“The Shortie the key to everything. He can get us close to his father, and we can also take care of the little organization of Crows and Cats. Might even take out a few crooked cops.” Iwaizumi looked unconvinced. “Relax, Iwa-chan. I know what I’m doing.”

“No, you don't. You might have just bitten off more than you can chew, and I will have to come to save your ass.” Iwaizumi snapped, rubbing the back of his head in frustration. Oikawa cooed, pulling gently on Iwaizumi’s tie. The shorter man jerked forward, his scowl deepening as Oikawa brought their face centimeters apart. 

“Got a problem with my ass, Iwa-chan…” Oikawa purred, spurred on by the liquid courage. Iwaizumi’s face darkened, and he shoved Oikawa back. 

“Don’t go there, Oikawa.” He said darkly, crossing his arms over his chest and turning his head away. “You are my best friend, so I don’t care what you do in your off time. Just don’t drag me into it unless you are in trouble.” Oikawa’s smile tightened. 

“I’m just kidding, Iwa-chan.” He laughed, turning back to his desk and pretending to sort through his files. He didn’t want Iwaizumi to see just how much it hurt to see his long-time crush reject him but almost ridicule him for something he couldn’t help. Something that used to always hold him back before adopting the fake playboy persona he put on every day. Iwaizumi shifted awkwardly behind him. 

“I’m going to meet Kyōtani at the bar to talk about your new cases. Don’t stay up too late and kill your eyes, or I’ll kick your ass.” Oikawa waved sarcastically over his shoulder. 

“Have fun with Mad Dog. Don’t tear up too much of the town or get arrested.” Oikawa sang before Iwaizumi threw a throw pillow from one of the couches in Oikawa’s office at the back of his head. 

“Shut up, Shittykawa, and go to bed.” Oikawa was left alone, wondering if Iwaizumi would go home with a pretty blond or brunette while Oikawa sat alone in his house with nothing but his accolades and alcohol. His phone buzzed. 

“Can I help you, Sargent?” 

“The Cats struck again. You might want to get ahead of this.” The one voice that Oikawa hated above all others sounded through the other end of the phone, leaving Oikawa’s mouth with a metallic taste. 

“Oh, so I’m just supposed to follow every order you give me, huh, Wakatoshi? I didn’t realize I had thrown away my law degree to become one of your officers.” The voice was cold in its reply. 

“I am calling you because of your law degree. If you don’t handle this, there is nothing preventing me from letting my detectives withhold information for your cases.” Oikawa slammed his hand on the table. 

“I could rip you apart for that.” 

“But you won’t. You and I both know why but I would rather not stoop so low to use such tactics.” Ushijima’s tone dropped warningly, although Oikawa begrudgingly knew he was sincere. The police sergeant only did his job, even if it meant getting nasty; being nasty was not something Oikawa was a stranger to either. 

“Fine. Get your detectives to get me info, and I’ll do the work. Enjoy the free promotion, asshole!” he slammed the phone on the table, glaring at it for a moment before picking it up again. “Hello, Ms. Haiba? I think I might need the help you offered earlier. It seems work has gotten a little too complicated for me for one night…” 

____

Akaashi sat at his desk in the precinct, typing his statement for the prosecutor on his most recently closed case. He ached from the long hours he had put in that night and knew it would only get worse the second Bokuto slumped in the chair across his desk and threw himself over the paperwork he had meticulously organized not ten minutes before. Trying not to strangle the clueless detective, he looked down into the hollow golden owl-like eyes of his pain in the ass partner that he would take a bullet for in a heartbeat. 

“What’s wrong, Bokuto?” Akaashi sighed, pushing up his glasses and returning to his work. He would reorganize the files later, he thought to himself as he proofread the document. Bokuto just continued to stare blankly at Akaashi like a lost puppy until the younger detective stopped reading. “Do we need to go on patrol?” Bokuto nodded. 

“My brain broke, Akaashi. It hurts too much.” He whined, burying his face in the pile of papers. That's because you are using it, Bokuto-San, Akaashi thought to himself. I'll have to grab him Tylenol before we go on patrol. 

“Maybe if you hadn’t stayed up all night with Kuroo drinking and then trying to function on nothing but energy drinks, you wouldn’t be suffering like this.” He glanced at Bokuto, his eyebrows furrowing. “Get off of those files, Bokuto-san. I still have three active cases in those.” 

“Then how about we do this one?” Bokuto picked up a file at random, looking hopefully at Akaashi. The detective shook his head. 

“Case went cold. The suspect ran to China, and we can’t bring him back because the case is flimsy at best.” Akaashi glanced at his partner before Daichi caught his eye in the corner of the precincts. The officer singled him to follow before disappearing towards the squad cars. Akaashi tapped twice on Bokuto’s hand, and the detective instantly straightened up. The two detectives grabbed their badges, and Akaashi quickly threw the messy files into the top drawer of his desk before locking it. They grabbed their jackets and joined Daichi in the dark portion of the patrol car's parking lot. 

“What is it?” Akaashi asked, growing uneasy with the nervous look in Daichi’s eyes. 

“Hinata is joining the Crows,” Daichi whispered, catching both detectives off guard. “Oikawa uses him to get to the dirt on his dad, who works under the Kageyama." 

"Wait, why is the little guy joining the squad? Can we trust him?" Bokuto asked, shoving his hands in his back pockets and narrowing his eyes. He glared down at the smaller detective and officer, hunching his shoulders to loom over their lower figures. 

"Why is this a concern if we do trust him?" Akaashi followed up, his eyes narrowing. 

"Hinata was a part of an assassination attempt that was tried as a hit and run." He paused before his shoulder slumped. "The kid did two years because someone put a kill order out on Hinata, and it went south. Now, Kenma and Kuroo are working some gang justice, and I'm afraid that someone might try to pin the murder's on Hinata."

"So you want us to go sniffing around in the kid's past without his permission? Look, Daichi, I know you are a great officer with steel balls, but even you gotta admit this is a little much. The kid did his time- "

"Bokuto, someone is free because Hinata went to jail for a crime he didn't commit, and someone might try to frame him again." Bokuto stared open-mouthed at his partner before the gears in his head clicked. His jaw clenched, cracking his knuckles as a slow grin spread across his lips. 

"Framed the kid? That's the last mistake of this piece of shit's life." A light flamed to life inside of Bokuto's golden eyes, giving them almost a glowing aura. "Whatcha think, Akaashi? You and I gonna help get revenge for this kid?"

"I just need the old case file." Akaashi agreed, watching Bokuto get fired up. His partner had a way of making the most hopeless cases seem like just another game, and Bokuto hated losing. Akaashi never missed a chance to secretly admire his partner; and long for him. "You can count on us, Daichi. Should we report to you or Ukai?"

"Ukai. I'm going to be a bit busy." Daichi grinned. "Just got a text from the hospital. Yui is positive." Bokuto frowned in confusion. 

"Positive? Isn't that a bad thing-"

"She is pregnant, Bokuto." Akaashi sighed, holding out his hand to Daichi. "Congratulations, Daichi. You will make an excellent father." Daichi smiled, but Akaashi noticed it was tight. He did not comment, but he found it odd that Daichi would be hesitant about being a father, considering he had overheard him talk about it so excitedly for the past three months at the possibility. Bokuto slapped Daichi's back, grinning from ear to ear. 

"Nice man! That baby is gonna have the best parents ever!" Bokuto shouted, putting the officer in a friendly sort of headlock and wiggling his hair. "My Daichi man is growing up." 

"Bokuto, I'm going to kick your ass if you don't let go," Daichi growled, shoving the detective away. Akaashi shook his head and took the small notepad Daichi held out. 

"Let us know if you need anything. Bokuto could use more responsibility in his life." Akaashi teased gently, earning an angry glare from the bulkier detective. 

"Akaashi!"

"I'll look into it before I go to bed."

"Yeah, get some rest. My shift just ended myself, so I'm heading home. Goodnight, Detectives." They all saluted one another and walked away. Akaashi's eyes narrowed as he caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure disappears down the alley away from the parking lot. He nudged Bokuto and nodded in the direction of the shadow, but Bokuto shrugged it off. 

"Probably just a cat, Akaashi." He then went on to talk excitedly about the case, promising to work through the night. Akaashi smiled, knowing his partner would start to get invested in the investigation at home before inevitably passing out the moment he sat down.

"Hey, you should crash at my place, Akaashi. That way, we can work on this together every possible second." Bokuto pleaded, bouncing excitedly on the balls of his feet. Akaashi stared up into the man's golden eyes, seeing a light that Akaashi could never see in anyone else's. He wanted to go home with him. Every day he wanted it so bad he could hardly breathe. 

"No, it's ok, Bokuto. I wouldn't want to bother you and Yukie on date night." Akaashi's heart jerked in his chest when he saw the clueless look turn to one of panic. 

"I forgot! She's gonna kill me! Akaashi! Help me, what do I get her?" The detective started to panic, pulling at his hair and lamenting his forgetful nature. The only thing he ever remembered without needing reminding was their volleyball game nights, where they both had a night off. Not that he minded. 

If Akaashi thought Bokuto was terrific in his uniform on the job, it did not hold a candle to the man's beauty when he was on the court.   
________

"Phew, that was a little too close. Ushiwaka woulda had my ass if Akaashi caught me. Quite little fucker always has a knack for catching me at the wrong time." Tendo muttered to himself as the rain started pouring down. He wrapped himself in his trench coat, waddling awkwardly down the alleyway to the seedy bar covered in a thin haze of smoke from its patrons. The streetlights illuminated the faint glow from his blood-red eyes made it clear to the low life's patrolling the alleyways that he was not the one to mess with. He stopped when a flash of yellow slipped into the path to the bar. Tendo hissed. 

"Hey, fancy meeting you here." Terishima laughed, his voice muffled from his bike helmet. He straddled his prized possession, removing his mask and smirking at Tendo. "Akaashi got nothing on me when it came to catching your ass, Tendo Satori. You might be a gutter rat of the streets, but I'm its road king."

"Tough talk for a guy compensating for his little dick," Tendo growled, glancing at the bar. Terishima smirked, slipping off his bike to size up Tendo. 

"Not what your mom said last night." The two men stood nose to nose, growling at each other like two stray dogs over a piece of meat. Tendo smirked, lifting his chin to glare down at the smaller boy. 

"Nice ride. It would be a shame if it got impounded." Terishima's eyes narrowed as his lip curled a little higher. 

"Cut the shit, Tendo. Whose life are you trying to ruin this time?" Tendo sniffed. 

"Why do you all think I'm this evil monster jumping out of the shadows like a boggy man? I mean, I'm a monster, sure, but I don't deserve this persecution. Ya know, the profiling your kind of new-age kids are fighting against?" 

"We don't kill you because we assume you are a shitty snitch. We know you are and use past evidence to back our judgments up. Now, the fuck were you doing?" Tendo laughed, putting down the protective trenchcoat collar and letting the rain wash down his face. They were both soaked as the rain turned to a downpour, but neither seemed to notice or care. Tendo was finding that tonight might be a fun night after all. 

"Wouldn't like to know, punk. Alas, I simply don't have to tell you. After all, there is nothing you can do to me. Not with what I know about you and your little boyfriend-" Terishima swung at Tendo. The redhead surged but quickly found it had been faint. His breath left his lungs as Terishima kneed Tendo in the gut. The reporter fell to the ground as Terishima began kicking his side. 

"You piece of shit! Don't fucking bring him up." Terishima's kicks stopped suddenly, his curses falling silent. Tendo looked up as he held his bruising ribs. Ushijima stood above him, pressing Terishima's face into the brick wall of the store across the street from the bar. 

"Assault, resisting arrest, possession of a control substance with the intent on distributing along with an illegally modified vehicle." Ushijima's low monotone growl matched the rolling thunder above as Terishima struggled against his cuffs. As quick and agile as the gangster was, Ushijima's raw strength and size overpowered him and gently guided him to the ground. Tendo smirked, biting his lip as he watched the police Sergeant complete the arrest with minimal effort. Tendo often wondered how a small giant wall of muscle could be so gentle and graceful when he wanted to be, not that Tendo minded staring to investigate. 

"Are you injured, Tendo," Ushijima asked after calling a patrol car to pick Terushima up. Tendo smirked, patting the giant's shoulder before wincing in pain as his ribs objected to the movement.

"Nah, buddy, you save the day like a real hero. I feel safer already in your hands." Ushijima picked up Terushima with one arm, not breaking eye contact with Tendo. 

"You were late, so I assumed you had gotten in trouble. It is comforting to know my instincts have not failed me yet." Ushijima said quietly, wiping a stream of water from his eyes. 

"Nah, Ushiwaka. I just like a long stroll in the rain when I was viciously attacked." 

"Take these cuffs off, and I'll show you viciously." Terishima snapped. 

"Sh, adults are talking." Tendo snapped, placing a finger to his lips. Terishima flung a few more insults as Tsuki dragged him into the cop car, unceremoniously throwing the punk in the back and talking with the impound truck driver. Ushijima nodded towards the bar, and the two men entered with a soft bell announcing their arrival. Smooth jazz played in the background with the drunken conversation's steady drone, mixed with the whispers of sweet nothings by loose women to lonely men. The two men nodded to the bartender, who nodded back. 

"The usual, officers?" The white snow haired bartender called, his short stature making it look like a child served the drinks. The bar owner glanced over at his employee, his mask not hiding the expression of annoyance. 

“Hoshiumi, refrain from shouting across the bar. And put on your mask.” 

“Oh, for fuck sake, Sakusa, I don’t need to wear a fucking mask to mix drinks. It's not like I’m working at some hospital or some shit. You keep everything spotless anyway. Freaking lawyers,” The bartender snapped, angrily scrubbing a shot glass and putting it away. The owner inspected the glasses before wiping down the counter. Tedno and Ushijima picked up their usual drinks, scotch for Ushjima while Tendo preferred a Cosmopolitan. 

“Ahem…” Tendo hummed, tapping the rim of his glass with an irritated expression. Hoshiumi groaned and slammed two tiny umbrellas into the glass. 

“You are the only fucking reason I buy them, Tendo. Why do you have to be such a priss?” Hoshiumi snapped. Tendo winked at the smaller bartender as he sipped his drink and wrapped his arm through Ushijima.

“Because I’m just that bad bitch you love to hate.” He turned to Ushijima, smirking. “Shall we join our old friends, Ushiwaka?” 

“As long as you promise not to make a fool of yourself tonight. I don’t have the energy to protect you from Kita and his twins. You have gotten in enough trouble.” Ushijima nodded his thanks to Sakusa for offering a towel, trading his wet jacket so that the bar owner could hang it up to dry. “Thank you, Sakusa. I did not expect to be out in this weather for so long.” 

“Atsumu needs something to fill his time. What are friends for, anyway?” He tossed the jacket into a back room, a soft grunt sounding muffled from around the corner. Tendo snickered. 

“Sounds like the puppy is in the doghouse. What did he do this time?” Tendo teased, smirking with the other Miya twin appeared in his grey suit and slacks. 

“He ate off of a dirty plate he put in the sink and then tried to jokingly kiss Sakusa,” Osamu explained, tilting his head to the side. “Do you have more of that french fry mix I gave you last week? Kita and I are growing hungry.” 

“Nah, I think that’s just you, Munchie Doppelganger.” Tendo teased, not getting a single reaction from the group. “Jeez, tough crowd.” 

“You change your mind about drinking with the masses, Ushijima?” All attention turned to the man who stepped from the private soundproof drinking booth in the back of the bar. He wore a simple suit without a tie and a soft smile on his face. Ushijima shook his head, picking up his drink and walking to join his friend. 

“No, I simply needed to dry off before I sat and ruined the seats.” The two men disappeared into the room, shortly followed by the bored-looking Miya twin munching on a bowl of fries. Tendo finished his drink, tapping the bar for another. 

“He’s gonna get fat someday, ya know. All that eaten and no workin’?” He glanced at Sakusa, who was staring at the ring of condensation that had stained the table where Ushijima had rested his glass. Tendo’s eyes narrowed. “Watch your own man, mask boy.” 

“At least I have mine.” Without another word, the masked bar owner disappeared into the back room. Tendo winced and looked at the private room with a sad smirk. 

“Nah, he knows. He might be a clueless person when it comes to people, but it would seem that I’m just not his type. Oh well, at least we can agree that there are some cute actresses out there to appease our loneliness.” Tendo muttered to himself. He could feel the alcohol working through his veins as he took another sip of his new drink. He glanced around, wondering if anyone had heard him. Thankfully, no one had. 

“Tendo, you have the evidence for Councilman Kita?” Ushijima called, poking his head around the corner to look at Tendo. Tendo nodded. 

“Yeah, right… here.” He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a mess of wires and electronic parts soaked in water. “Well, fuck me!” 

_______

Noya knocked on Tanaka’s door, glancing around nervously as he pulled his black gloves tighter around his hands. The night was cold, but after the rain two nights ago, everything was at least dry. He heard the distant sounds of police sirens, not helping his already on edge nerves. He thought to himself that if a cop wants to throw down, I’m so fucking ready to go.

“Hurry up, meathead! I’m freezing my ass off out here. Plus, cops are gonna catch my ass if you-”

“Yeah yeah, let’s go. Sorry, Kiyoko only just told me that Terushimia is going to be doing a short stint at the local prison for a month.” Tanaka grumbled, pulling on his ski mask and adjusting his own gloves. If anyone were to look at the two, they would see two very suspiciously dressed men bordered on tacky cat burglars. Noya glanced around, weaving through bike after a bike that hid in Tanaka’s private garage. 

“Damn, only a month for all the shit they charged him with? She’s amazing.” Noya marveled, picking a quick speedster with nondescript markings. Tanaka nodded, getting a dreamy, distant look in his eyes as he leaned against the wall. 

“Yeah, she is a goddess.” Both boys swooned, a tint of red dusting both of their cheeks before Tanaka shook his head. “ Hey! You have Asahi, why are you looking at Kiyoko, man!” 

“Hey, I can like an adorable girl and still go home to make Asahi my man,” Noya shouted, causing him to slam his hands over his mouth as Tanaka hushed him harshly. 

“Moron, it’s a stealth mission! You gotta be quiet!” Tanaka yelled. 

“Oh, like you are any good at that!” Noya yelled back. The two men growled at one another before nodding. “So, you ready?”

“Yeah, I’m ready to rescue my baby. Let’s go.” Noya whooped and jumped onto the front of the bike, Tanaka slamming a helmet on both of their heads and whooping. 

“We ride, bitches!” Noya cheered, gunning the throttle and lifting the front wheel into the air as he smashed his way onto the street. 

“Dude! That’s my shop!” Tanaka wailed, looking back at the hole in his garage door. 

“I’ll pay you back later. It was badass, though, right?” Noya yelled, breaking every speed limit in the city as he drove at breakneck speed. 

“That’s not the point, Noya! You owe me a new door again!” Tanaka hit Noya atop his head, the small man just snickering. 

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that after this mission. Oh shit! Cop!”

“Yū Nishinoya, Ryūnosuke Tanaka, Daichi is going to have your ass,” Tsuki growled over the megaphone of his cop car. Noya gulped. 

“Hey! Don’t you dare run away from us!” Detective Bokuto shouted from another cop car, but his words were drowned out by the revving of Noya’s engine, and it disappearing into the distance. 

“Daichi is gonna kill me…” The two men groaned, following through with their mission in somber defeat.

_____

Asahi sat alone in his apartment above the clinic he worked at, nervously checking his phone every five seconds. He wore an oversized grey sweater and sweatpants Noya had bought him, adjusting the small crotch to be more comfortable. The TV was hardly background noise for him anymore as he kept picking up and putting down the sandwich he had made himself to calm his nerves. Finally, he broke. 

“Daichi, he’s not back yet.” Asahi said, running his hand through his hair. 

“Asahi, it’s been a day. Noya’s been missing for a week with Tanaka before, and he always comes back. Though I’m going to kill them both the second they show up again.” Daichi growled the last line, the fatherly sort of worry seeping into his voice. Asahi chuckled nervously. 

“Can I at least see him before you strangle him?” 

“Yeah, you get five seconds to say goodbye.” Daichi’s voice went silent as the tension grew over the phone. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-” 

“It’s fine, Daichi. I’ll wait.” He ended the call, gripping the phone tightly between his palms. He remembered what it was like waiting for his parents to come home all those years ago. Everyone had told him they would go back. They had been right, Asahi thought bitterly, they came home in body bags. 

The thought made him jump up and pace the room nervously, glancing out the windows. His neighbors glared at him from across the street, making him close the blinds. He had to remind himself that they couldn’t go to the police. That he had evidence that they where neglectful parents, but at the same time, there was nothing he could to escape judgment. They hated him because he was gay, just like his family had. Every day he wanted to move, but Noya would always convince him to stay. 

“You love this place, Asahi. Why should you let a bunch of low life chumps chase you away from living your best life? If they ever bother you again, I’ll make sure they go to the worst ER ever!” Asahi smiled at the memory, opening his phone. It was three in the morning, and he would have to open the clinic in two and a half hours. He debated on getting sleep before hearing a crash in his bedroom. He glanced out his window, seeing the lights off in his neighbor's window. Asahi grabbed the bat by the door, shaking as he called Daichi again. 

"Please pick up…" Asahi whispered, listening to the phone ring as he crept closer to his door. There was a shadow darting across the floor behind the door. Asahi swallowed loudly and slammed open the door with the bat raised. 

"Asahi! It's me! Don't swing!" Noya yelped, throwing up his hands and lifting the mask from his face. "See? Just me-gah!" Asahi dropped the bat and gathered Noya into his arms for a bone-crushing hug. Noya's eyes bugged as the giant hugged the life out of him. "Breathing! Need air to live!"

"Please stop just leaving me notes and disappearing for days, Yu. I was so worried." Asahi's voice broke, his body shaking. "Between my parents, the police, and now it seems like the neighborhood is out to get you, I can't handle this-" 

"Hey, Asahi. You don't need to cry." Noya soothed, pulling Asahi into the bed and gently placing the big man's head against his chest. "You have every right to worry, but that doesn't mean you should. I can handle myself. Besides, you are no good to me in the clinic if you haven't had any good sleep. Right now, it looks like you haven't slept in days."

"Yu, be serious-" Asahi begged, getting cut off by Noya firmly flipping Asahi on his back and caging his head between his arms. 

"I am. Look at me, Azumane," Noya ordered, looking down at his nervous boyfriend. "I'm always going to come back. I don't care if I have to take on the entire city. You and me? Nothing is gonna break us. I take my role as Guardian very seriously, and you should keep your eye on your goals. Keep helping people, making a difference. You are the warrior in this battle, and I won't let you fall." Asahi stared up at Noya in awe, tears brimming at his eyes as they stared at each other. 

"Yu…" Asahi breathed, pulling Noya down for a kiss. Noya kissed back, cupping Asahi's face between his hands as their mouths opened to tasted each other's, very soul. Asahi chuckled slightly as Noya began tugging at his clothes. "Yu, wait."

"As for what?" Noya whined against Asahi's lips before sitting back on Asahi's hips. "Obviously you are in the mood so why-"

"Noya, you smell like you crawled through a sewer." Asahi laughed, blushing slightly. Noya blinked. 

"Well yeah. How else was I gonna hide from the drug dogs?" Noya asked as if it was a perfectly normal thing. 

"Why did you have drug dogs chasing you!" Asahi gasped, sitting up quickly enough to throw Noya to the end of the bed. 

"Daichi sent the Detectives to find me when Tsuki caught me speeding." Asahi fainted. "Asahi!"

"Daichi is trying to kill me…"

______

Daichi looked at his phone early the next day, seeing that Hinata would need a ride back from his mother's house. He went to call Sugawara but remembered where he was. He twisted in his bed, looking back at his pregnant girlfriend, who was sleeping peacefully at his side. She had her arm draped gently around her stomach, a sweet smile glowing in the early morning light. Daichi let a small smile of his own creep across his lips as he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her cheek. Getting up, he adjusted his boxers and walked into the bathroom of their studio apartment. Closing the door, he leaned against the vanity counter and put his phone to his ear. 

"Hey, Asahi-" he blushed when he heard the early morning sounds of two men in love, imminently ending the call. "Ok, note to self. Only text those two in the morning." He swallowed and called Tsuki. 

"No." Was Tsuki's only response before he hung up. Daichi glared at the caller ID. 

"Saltly little shit." He muttered, trying Akaashi but only reviving a voicemail. He called Bokuto, who answered. 

"Hey, hey, hey, worlds best detective here, how may I serve justice today…" Bokuto mumbled, sounding half asleep. Daichi did not have much hope but tried anyway. 

"Can you pick up Hinata and bring him home?" Bokuto mumbled again before the line went dead. "Ok, maybe not." He grimaced, calling his least favorite contact. 

"Hey, big man. Need a hand with your lady friend already?" Kuroo's voice answered immediately. Daichi hung up. He was not going to deal with Kuroo when he was in a teasing mood. Kuroo called back, but Daichi blocked the number. He called Kenma. 

"I would, but Kuroo and I are out of town taking care of a few things. Sorry." Kenma said in his usual soft voice, genuinely sounding regretful. 

"No, it's ok. Just be careful not to get caught or risk Hinata." Daichi hung up, thinking of who else to call. Tanaka and Ennoshita have their own shops and schedules. Ukai and Takeda were busy as well. Kiyoko and Terishima were locked in legal litigation and would not be free for a while. This left him with one option that he hated using. 

"Hey, Daichi! Its been a while. I was starting to think you were avoiding me." Sugawara laughed, picking up on the first ring. Daichi bit his lip, guilt causing his stomach to roll. 

"Hey, yeah. I was just a bit busy lately. Listen, um, I know you drove Hinata out, but he doesn't have a ride back. Can you pick him up?" There was a pause. 

"Yeah, sure. Is everything ok? Isn't today your day off?" Daichi cursed silently and leaned his head back. He could never hide anything from Suga; his best friend was simply too perceptive. 

"Yeah, I just need to take Michimiya to the doctors." It wasn't a total lie, but he didn't think he needed to mention that he helped Bokuto cover-up for Kuroo's interrogation tactics. Suga, however, did not let it go. 

"Is she ok? Do you two need help?" Daichi bit back a groan as he closed his eyes. Why, Suga? He thought, why do you have to be such a great guy?

"Yeah, she just needs some things for the baby." He forced the words out of his mouth as if they had always been a part of their conversations. Daichi's gut twisted even tighter as the silence stretched between them. 

"Oh, congratulations. I hope things go well." Suga said tightly. Daichi turned around to face the mirror, almost seeing Suga's pained expression in his own reflection. "Ok, then I'll go pick up Hinata. You still coming to volleyball this weekend?" Daichi jumped onto the only good part of the conversation. 

"Yeah, Michimiya has a night with the girls for a baby shower -"

"Daichi, you have to go to your baby shower!" Sugawara scolded, causing Daichi to jump. "We can have volleyball night whenever we want, baby showers are special and important. I'll tell the guys to bring gifts for you both. This is so exciting!" Daichi bowed his head. 

"Yeah, we are excited. Still sinking in, but we are both happy." He lied. 

"Well, I'm happy for you both," Suga chirped, pausing. "Ok, I'm going to call Hinata. Catch up later, ok?" 

"Yeah, sure." There was another long pause before Suga hung up. Daichi stared at his reflection in the mirror, holding the phone to his ear as the bags under his eyes growing deeper. 

He was tired. Tired of lying to those he cared about and himself. He was happy, happier than he could ever hope he could be. He had something to protect, a purpose to his life. It was more than most people could find in their entire lifetime. Yet it wasn't enough. He loved Michimya, but not how she wanted. He enjoyed having sex with her and spending time, but until he discovered she was pregnant, he slowly realized that he could not see himself as a partner for life. Now, he did not have a choice. 

He would not put his child through the war zone his parents put him through, even if it meant he couldn't be with a man he fell in love with. 

"In another life, another time, maybe it could be different." 

______ 

Kageyama hated his father, but not as much as he hated himself. He stalked around his father's office, acting almost as a glorified Secretary with his sister after failing his campaign. His scowl made those around the office avoid him, forcing himself to stand by as Oikawa shook his father's hand. 

"Nicely done, Oikawa. I have to admit, I was hoping my son would take my place as Mayor of this city, but you, sir, earned to win the preliminary voter polls." Oikawa beamed, shaking Kageyama's father's hand with equal gusto. Iwaizumi stood behind Oikawa, offering Kageyama a sympathetic look. The young politician ignored his elder, walking out if the meeting and returning to his office. He locked himself inside, slamming his fist against his metal filing cabinet. 

They had been competing for weeks for the preliminary polls to sway in either one of their favor. It had been tight for a while, with two young faces bringing in equal excitement. What made Kageyama's stomach turn was that the only reason he seemed to bring in any voters was his family name. He looked up to Oikawa, who took Kageyama under his wing ever since they went to the same high school. They were inseparable until Oikawa broke down and punched Kageyama after trying to teach him about political connections. It was then Kageyama saw Oikawa for who he really was. He was just as insecure as Kageyama felt, but Oikawa felt as if he had to act like someone else to get by. Kageyama never felt ass if he had that luxury. Kageyama thought that he was already faking enough to the world that he would lose himself completely if he tried being just as fake as Oikawa. Maybe that was why Oikawa was winning and broken at the same time. 

"Hey, Tobio!" Kageyama turned, seeing his sister standing in the doorway of his office looking appalled. 

"I locked the door for a reason, you know." Kageyama snapped, grabbing his bag, and began shoving his things inside. His sister shut the door behind her, turning to face her younger brother. 

"Tobio, dad doesn't love you any less-" 

"You saw him, right? I'm his son, and he didn't even acknowledge my existence. It's like Oikawa is the son he always wanted, never mind all the deal I did to help him get to where he is now- "

"Sh!" His sister snapped. "Do you want someone to hear you? If dad gets caught, he will drag you down with him." His sister realized what she had said before she could take back her words. Kageyama's face darkened. "Wait, not like that-" 

"See?" Kageyama snapped, slamming the volleyball into his bag and zipping it up. "Won't even lift a fiver to protect his own son. I'm done for the day. Going home." Without another word, he shoved himself past his sister and left the place of snakes and liars. Mad Dog sat outside the building's steps, a cigarette glowing between his lips as the day began to draw to a close. He caught Kageyama's eye and smirked. 

"Run home, bitch." He called, waving to Kageyama's back. The dark-haired setter just ignored him, walking quickly as he could before colliding in with the last person he wanted to see. 

"Woah, Tobio! Just the man I wanted to see." A tall, athletic, orange-haired man said. He dresses in a cheap suit with his orange hair contrasting sharply against his blue eyes. His malevolent grin made the hairs on the back of Kageyama's neck stand to attention. "I hear my son is back in town, and as luck would have it, moved next door to you. How's the little man doing."

"Why don't you ask him yourself, Toshiro." Kageyama hissed, trying to move past Hinata's father. The older man grabbed Kageyama's upper arm and pulled him into the small alleyway between the two buildings. He trapped Kageyama between the back of the alley and his body, his smile tightening. 

"Listen, Tobio. You know my son, and I have a complicated relationship-" 

"You walked out on him and then did not lift a finger when he got framed and chose to run away and make a new family that you molded to suit your own selfish needs. I'd say that's as complicated as it gets." Kageyama snapped. The older man paused, his smile fading completely. A dangerous aura began to eliminate from the man and made Kageyama shrink back slightly. 

"Who helped make that happen?" Each word had a sharp hiss attached to it, an underlying threat that made Kageyama's blood run cold. The creepy smile appeared on Toshiro's lips as he pulled away slightly. "But at least I have you to thank for keeping him alive in the first place. Although an attempted murder charge does tend to cripple a promising young man's political career." 

Kageyama did not say a word. Both men knew that Kageyama was not in any danger unless Hinata's father felt that he had no other choice. However, Kageyama knew Toshiro to get himself in many tight corners without warning. 

"He's fine. Seems happy. Visiting his mom and sister." Kageyama spoke through clenched teeth. I was wrong, he thought, I hate him most of all. Toshiro slipped a small envelope of money into Kageyama's bag. 

"Thank you. Hope to see you soon. Remember, keep him out of my way and happy." Toshiro patted Kageyama's head and walked away whistling. Kageyama clenched his hand into a fist, slamming his head back against the wall. 

"Fuck, Hinata. Why did it have to be you?" Kageyama's stomach twisted as his eyes closed, and he remembers the moment that ruined his life. 

He played his last game in middle school, his team facing a ragtag last-minute team that they knew they could beat. Kageyama had laughed about how the team was too poor to afford any talent, but the joke was lost on his team. Then he got on the court and felt as if he were drifting even further from his side. They were not fast enough, they didn't try hard enough. They could never play at his level. 

Then a flash of orange changed his whole world. At that moment, he saw what he had been looking for his entire life. 

"Come on! We can do this. Keep trying!" The orange-haired boy called, jumping higher and higher every time. Even when he lost, he had a fire. A poor kid with no hope had a light, unlike Kageyama had ever seen in anyone's eyes but his own. Then, his smile at the end of the game. 

"Hey, that was fun. You are outstanding." 

That was the first time Kageyama ever saw color in the world, and it came in the form of Hinata Shoyo. 

_____

Chapters will be written in similar formate and be almost as long for future reference. This chapter was such a rollercoaster ride for me to write but probably the most fun. I plan on toeing the line with the Mature rating in the future chapters so it may change (fair warning). Thank you for enjoying this journey of messy relationships, emotions, and political and gang drama. 


	6. Birds Of A Feather

Hinata hesitated in front of the door, bouncing nervously on the balls of his feet. The water bottle in his hand bounced against his hip with a soft thump. The hall was empty and silent, but Hinata felt like everyone could hear his heart's thudding. He stared at the number on the door before swallowing. 

“Come on, you big baby. It’s just a question. Just a simple knock on the door to ask your scary neighbor to go running with you.” Hinata muttered to himself as he reached up to knock on the door. Unfortunately, the door opened the second his wrist snapped to knock on the door and instead hit Kageyama squarely in the forehead. Hinata jumped back, pressing himself against the wall on the other side of the hall with his face heating up. Kageyama growled and rubbed the sore spot on his forehead. 

“Sorry!” Hinata squeaked, his knees knocking slightly as he felt himself be pinned by the terrifying glare from Kageyama. The dark-haired man scowled before wrapping his towel around his shoulders. He was already sweating in his tight sleeveless workout shirt and shorts formed around his body to give Hinata a detailed view of the well-maintained body under Kageyama’s clothing. Hinata’s blush deepened, and despite his best efforts, his eyes glanced down before quickly darting up to meet Kageyama’s narrowing eyes. 

“The fuck you want, dumbass? It’s six in the morning on a Saturday.” Kageyama leaned against the door, slurping loudly on the water bottle as he dried his dripping forehead. 

“Well, I was going to ask you to go running with me, but it looks like that’s not going to happen.” Hinata ended his sentence in a low mumble, rubbing the back of his head nervously. You idiot! Don’t get intimidated by him! You have an important mission! You can’t fail. 

“Sure,” Kageyama said, shrugging. Hinata stared at him, causing the taller man to raise an eyebrow. “What?”

“Um, I thought you were working out-” 

“Well, I’m done with my calisthenics, so let's go for that stupid run.” Kageyama snapped, reaching on the other side of the door to grab his keys and jacket. Hinata huffed, pushing off the wall and glaring at Kageyama. 

“If it’s so stupid, then you don’t have to go.” Kageyama slammed his door and glared down at Hinata. 

“Well, obviously, I have to finish my workout with a run, so it’s not like you being here is gonna change my routine. Plus, a dumbass like yourself might get lost, and I’d have to get another even more annoying neighbor.” Hinata scoffed. 

“I wouldn’t get lost, so you don’t have to worry about that. I know these streets better than anyone now. The question is if you can keep up with me.” Hinata challenged. Kageyama stiffened. 

“Keep up? I’m about to leave you in the dust.” Hinata glared up at Kageyama before a grin spread across his lips. He couldn’t help it; this guy made him want to punch him in the face and go out for a drink all at the same time. Even barely knowing a thing about the guy… Hinata just felt like being friends with him was as effortless as breathing. 

“Oh yeah? Let’s go!” Hinata darted down the stairs, almost biting it the first turn down the stairwell. Kageyama simply swung around the stairs, jumping down to each landing almost as fast as Hinata could sprint down them. “Hey! Not fair!” 

“Oh, so there are rules now? Quit being a dumbass and show me just how fast you can go then.” Kageyama challenged, the two boys darting past the small family that lived in the apartment. The second they exited, they ran in opposite directions before skidding to a stop at the end of the block. Hinata gulped. Oh, man. This is embarrassing…

“Um, obviously, we should go this way. Hard to get lost if we go to the park.” Kageyama jogged over to him, both blushing slightly at the awkwardness of the situation. 

“Yeah, whatever. I mean, it’s just a run.” They took off again in the direction Hinata started running, neck in neck. They started off as a light jog before Kageyama began to pull ahead. His long, toned legs lunged forward with the gazelle-like grace with the slow and deliberate breaths of a well-trained athlete. Hinata scowled and forced himself to run faster to pull ahead of Kageyama. They ran past Ukai’s shop, the blond-haired man lifting and moving boxes as he watched the two men run past. 

“Don’t be late for your shift, brat!” Ukai called to Hinata, the threat lost on the man as Kageyama began to run faster to pull ahead of Hinata. The former darted around an obstacle, forcing Hinata to jump over the trash can. The second Hinata’s feet left the ground; he felt as if he were really flying again. A small smile crept into his lips as Kageyama glared at him.

“How the hell can you jump so high?” Kageyama demanded, dodging Tanaka as he started opening up his shop. Tanaka yelped, growling at the two sprinting men. 

"Slow down and watch where you are going, jerkwads!" 

"Sorry, Tanaka!" Hinata shouted back, tripping up slightly and allowing Kageyama to run ahead. Hinata grunted before pumping his legs faster. His lungs burned as they passed through the park gate, but he didn't let that slow him down. His only thought at that moment was surpassing Kageyama; he desires mirrored by Kageyama. They lept over an overexcited puppy and bolted down the path into the deeper woodland surrounding the city. The early morning chill slapped past the men's faces, redding their cheeks to a darker shade of crimson. 

"Hey, Hinata…" Kageyama gasped. 

"What's up?" Hinata wanted back, almost tripping on a root. 

"Do you know where we are?" The two men skidded to a stop while gasping for breath as the noonday sun beat down around their shoulders. Hinata's chest heaved as his lungs labored to provide oxygen to his screaming muscles. Sweat dripped from his forehead and neck, causing him to both shiver and gasp. 

"Um …" he looked at the trailhead sign. "No… trespassing trail?" Kageyama growled and picked Hinata up by the collar of his shirt. 

"You dumbass! We are trespassing, not on a trail. You got us lost!" Hinata squirmed.

"Oh yeah? You were the one who kept running me off the trail." Kageyama blushed slightly and dropped Hinata, crossing his arm over his chest. 

"Whatever, we just need to get back. Let's just run… back…" the two men looked back at the narrow path they had been running down, seeing four different trails leading back the way they came. The men looked at each other for a moment before they started to panic. 

"We are gonna die! We are gonna get stuck out here all night and get eaten by ghosts! I’m too young to die. I don’t wanna get eaten, but if I don’t get eaten, I might starve to death. If we don’t starve to death-” 

“How am I going to fill my daily requirement of milk lost out here forever with this idiot…” Kageyama worried, crouching down and clutching the sides of his head. Hinata took out his phone, watching in horror as his battery died after forgetting to charge it the night before. He let out a blood-curdling wail and collapsed to the ground in despair. 

“My meat buns…” He mumbled into the dirt. 

______

Suga felt the warm morning light kiss the soft lids of his eyes gently. The faint sounds of birds mixing with the sounds of traffic below his studio apartment called him to wakefulness. Taking on a deep breath, Suga stretched his arms over his head and let out a sleepy yawn. The first light of dawn might have just peeked over the horizon, but it was enough to wake the light sleeper. Rubbing his eyes, he cast off his blankets to stretch fully. His shoulders ached from the dozens of study materials he had to sort through the day before to clear his schedule for the weekend. He let out a sigh and closed his eyes. 

"Today is a day for you, Koshi. Saturday is your day." He whispered to himself before putting on a pair of boxers and walking to his kitchen. He cleared away the last bit of clutter from the night before he counter and began making himself indulge in the morning coffee. He checked his phone, relieved that nothing out of the ordinary had happened while he had been asleep. Smiling, he threw on his Saturday morning playlist and began swaying his hips to the music. He started clearing away the little mess he made the night before while waiting for his coffee to percolate. The tiny studio began to smell like Ennoshita’s coffee shop after only a few minutes, serving to only brighten his already cheerful mood. 

He danced around his apartment, picking up various laundry bits and straightening out his bedroom portion of the studio. A knock came at his door, startling the young student teacher. Hurriedly throwing on a pair of shorts and a shirt, he looked through the peephole. Smiling, he opened the door to greet his elderly neighbor. 

“Hello, what can I do for you today, Mr.Nekomata?” Suga greeted warmly. 

“Oh, I just stopped by to say thank you for helping coach the young boys at the school. They really enjoyed your coaching and improved beyond anything I could have imagined. Here, take these cookies my players and I made as thank you.” He held out a large bowl of cookies that smelled absolutely heavenly. The old coach grinned and chuckled. “Ok, maybe the only hand I had in these cookies was the delivery, but you can’t hold that against this old man.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Mr.Nekomata. Thank you to you and your players.” He took the bowl with a bow. “I’m sure Kuroo and the others would have loved to help out as well.” The old coach sighed. 

“They are very busy, so I understand. They certainly keep me on my toes these days.” Suga frowned, but the old coach just chuckled. “Being a former mobster myself, I can’t hold it against them for needing some old sagely advice from someone who has been around the block. Still, these old bones tell me that something nasty is boiling on the horizon.” 

“What do you mean?” Suga asked, worried now. 

“Oh, ignore an old coot rambling. Just tired…” The old man tried to dismiss the comment, but Suga was not baking down. With a sigh, the old man explained. “Something fishy is going on. I’ve been talking with my old buddies during the meetups to talk about the good old days like we do. Turns out I’m not the only one hearing rumors about some illness going around. There is also some serious unrest happening across the world. Just feels like the world is a powder keg waiting to blow.” Nekomata watched the young man’s shoulders slump before patting him good-naturedly on the shoulder. “Don’t let it get to ya, kid. It might just be a bunch of old men worrying themselves to death. Now, enjoy your Saturday. You’ve got some good tunes to carry you through it, that’s for sure.” 

“Yes, sir. Tell your players that I will come and help out when I have free time.” Suga said with a wave. The old coach got a teasing gleam in his eye. 

“Sure, you don’t need a job at Nekoma? We could use some fresh meat- I mean face.” Suga laughed. 

“No, I think I’ll stick to my old school. I do appreciate the offer. Have a good weekend.” Suga waved, waiting until the old man had started walking down the hall before closing and locking his door. He lived on the only floor with studio apartments that were typically reserved for the elderly, but he had convinced the owner to let him stay. He wasn’t a big partier, nor did he like to bother anyone. He even had a few elderly residents offer to pay his rent for just visiting them when they got lonely. He was hesitant at first, but when he took the plunge with a dying woman, he found that he was actually helping more than anything. He understood the loneliness of being forgotten by his family and the desire to ease the minds of those he shared a building with. He now made enough money just keeping the older residence company to never have to work again, but that thought didn’t sit well with Suga. Teaching was his calling, and if his neighbors hadn’t been so insistent about payment, he would be doing the same thing. To alleviate some of his guilt, he made sizable donations to the building manager for repairs and better upkeep to make the old folks' lives more comfortable. 

“Shoot! The coffee!” Sugawara exclaimed when he smelled something burning. He rushed to the kitchen and unplugged the coffee maker in his panic. He smelled the coffee, relieved that it was just the old grounds burning. He picked out a sugar cookie and took a bite to start his breakfast. It wasn’t the best he tasted, but at least the players had made them edible. Suga chuckled to himself when he remembered when Noya and Asahi had tried to make him cookies for his birthday. Noya had gotten it in his head that he could bake better than he could cook, and if not for Asahi, Suga was sure that the cookies would have been entirely inedible. 

“I should probably have something healthy…” He looked at the fruit bowl on his counter before smirking to himself. “Maybe just one more.” He ate a second cookie before making toast. Sipping his coffee and spreading a mix of butter and jelly over his toast, his playlist changed. Soft jazz played through the speakers, prompting Suga to get an idea. He picked up his phone and took a photo, editing it slightly before sending the photo and text to Ennoshita. 

It’s like being in your shop here. Might stop by later. 

His phone buzzed a few seconds later with Ennoshita’s reply. It was a photo of half his face with Noya and Asahi in the background at his shop. Ennoshita looked absolutely done with Noya’s antics while Asahi still had a single curler in his hair with his eyes closed. Noya looked as if he were shouting at Ennoshita, holding up a coffee cup blurred with Noya’s movement. Asahi held an extra-large iced coffee with a sweater hanging off his body and looking as if he hadn’t shaved in weeks. 

Please save me. 

Suga laughed and replied. 

It’s my day off, sorry. Call Tanaka. 

The response was instant. 

If I have those two crackheads here, I’m retiring and moving to the mountains with my cat and goldfish. 

Suga burst out laughing and left it at that. He sat by the little alcove at the base of his window, watching the sunrise and the world wake up quietly. He leaned back into his plethora of pillows, closing his eyes and letting the warmth of the coffee mix with the satisfying fullness that his breakfast brought him. His peace was broken only by the buzzing of his phone. He ignored it for the first two rings before sighing. 

“Is it too much to ask for just a few minutes of peace?” He chuckled to himself before picking up the phone. “I thought Hinata had a day off?” He answered the phone. 

“Suga!” Hinata cried, making Sugawara jerk the phone away from his ear. “Kageyama and I are lost in the woods!” 

“You are… what?” Suga blinked, tilting his head to the side. 

___

“Tell me again why we are the ones looking for the hyperactive moron?” Tsukishima groaned, wrestling with the K-9 dog that was straining to chase the scent. Dachi grunted, straining against his own K-9 companion. 

“Suga called him missing earlier this morning. The kid’s got a special place in the gang’s heart, and it’s not that uncommon for people to go missing. If the Sergeant wants to kick my ass for it, then I’ll deal with it. Besides, I need you to get away from Tadashi and that computer room.” Tsuki rolled his eyes as he jogged alongside his dog. 

“It’s not like we do anything in there.” 

“Foreplay counts, Romeo.” Daichi teased, snickering as Tsukishima blushed. “Plus, a few of the nosey cops are starting to notice. Don’t think I need to tell you what will happen if you two get caught.” Tsukishima shrugged. 

“How’s making detective going?” He changed the subject, no longer interested in continuing the discussion. He knows he didn’t have the luxury of taking risks in the police station, but he started to get tired of watching hetero couples flaunt themselves all over the office. He snorted to himself when he remembered one of the cops in their squad complained about gays before Tsukishima caught him banging one of the new secretaries. Then there were the wives that brought lunches or girlfriends who would show up for kisses. It made his stomach turn at how uncool the hypocrisy was. 

“Fine, thanks for asking. You plan on moving in with Tadashi?” Daichi was persistent, which annoyed the tall blond.

“I really don’t see how it’s your business.” Tsukishima snapped. The dogs bayed and jerked forward just as an orange flash of hair tackled Daichi to the ground. 

“Daichi! I thought I was gonna die!” Hinata yelled, hugging Daichi around the waist and shaking. Tsuki watched as Kageyama stormed out from the trees, a few leaves and twigs stuck to his hair. 

“Stop acting like an idiot, Hinata. I told you we could have just followed the trail back to the one that leads out.” Kageyama snapped. Tsukishima covered his mouth to hide his snort. 

“You know all the paths lead out eventually, right?" Tsuki commented before laughing. "Wow, and you want to become mayor.” Kageyama bristled. Daichi slapped Tsukishima’s arm before shaking his head. 

“Can you not be a jerk for five minutes? Let’s just go back to civilization and finish our shift.” Tsukishima nodded, waiting until Daichi’s back was turned before putting in an earbud to block out the two previously stranded men's idiocy. His mind wandered to earlier that morning, leaving him completely checked out. 

He had woken up to Tadashi crawling into his bed at his apartment. He wasn’t surprised because Tadashi owned one of Tsukishima’s spare keys, but something was different this time. Tadashi had come in looking more tired than usual, a nervous twitch in his left hand. 

“Hey, Tadashi,” Tsuki whispered softly, reaching out to take Tadashi’s shaking hand. “You want to talk about it?” The young hacker shook his head. 

“Just… it was really late at night.” Tadashi kicked off his socks and pants before curling up against Tsuki’s chest. Tsuki held the smaller man in his arms for a few seconds before rubbing his hand up and down his back. 

“I have to go to work in an hour. Are you sure you don’t want to talk? It would suck if I found out you were here crying alone.” He felt a little awkward comforting Tadashi, but he was telling the truth. He would not be able to focus at work if he didn’t find out what was bothering Tadashi. 

“I just…how can people be so cruel?” Tadashi sobbed, clutching his hands into fists and pressing his tear-soaked cheeks into Tsuki’s chest. “I wanted to help people, but all I do is put people behind bars after committing a crime. What about the people I couldn’t save? The kids that were killed? Where is the justice for them when their own family betrays them-” 

“Enough, Tadashi Yamaguchi,” Tsuki growled, pulling Tadashi away from his chest before framing the crying man’s face between his palms. “Those thoughts aren’t good for you. Anything that isn’t good for you, I won’t stand. I might not be the best guy in the world, but it would be downright shitty of me to let you beat yourself up over doing your damn job.” Tadashi sniffled, a few tears dripping onto the pillow below him. 

“But I… I just can’t stand-” 

“Then quit.” Tsuki kissed Tadashi sweetly, pulling his face so close to his own he felt as if he would devore Tadashi’s lips and very breath. He hooked his leg around Tadashi’s hip, pulling him closer until he was sure that he was engulfing Tadashi in nothing but himself. Tsuki kissed him hard, flicking his tongue around the soft lips that quivered ever so slightly. The blond shifted his arms so that one wrapped around Tadashi’s shoulders, and the other allowed his hand to cradle the back of his boyfriend’s head. Tsukishima felt Tadashi’s heart beat hard against his chest, feeling the tiny breaths of air grow even shorter before Tadashi also entangled himself with Tsuki. 

“But I have no other job-” Tadashi tried to say before Tsukishima rolled on top of his boyfriend. The blond raised his eyebrow, silencing Tadashi in a second. 

“I’ll take care of you until you find one,” Tsuki said, not giving Tadashi a chance to argue. “What kind of uncool boyfriend would I be if I just left you on the streets to starve? I could never do that to the man I love.” 

“Oi! Earth to Kei Tsukishima. We are here.” Daichi plucked the earbud out of Tsuki’s ear. The blond police officer growled and snatched back his earpiece. The unwelcome shock of being brought back put him in an even worse mood.

“Don’t touch me, and I know.” Tsukishima blushed and jumped out of the car, shoving his hands in his pockets and walking to the police station's back doors. 

“Um, have you forgotten something?” Daichi yelled angrily, opening the door to reveal two happy drooling puppies waiting to be brought in. 

“No, I don’t think I did. Say hi to Sergeant for me.” Tsukishima waved over his shoulder as the door cut off Daichi’s cursing and death threats. Tsukishima picked up a stale donut and cold coffee cup from the break room before going to his desk. He watched Tadashi walk into the computer room with a thoughtful expression on his face. The tech glanced up at Tsuki before a bright blush erupted across his cheeks, and he dove into the computer room. Tsuki stared at the open report document on his computer screen for over twenty minutes without doing anything with one thought going through his head. 

Did I really say I loved Tadashi, and he said it back?

He shook his head and opened his email, hoping to distract himself from realizing that he actually meant what he had said. I was silly. He really liked Tadashi. He was the least annoying of the people he knew, and he was cute. In a puppy kind of way, the blond officer thought to himself. He found it odd that he never considered himself much of an animal lover, but Tadashi made him think about getting one. Perhaps he would get Tadashi a puppy to make him feel better and keep him company when he was home and legally unemployed. 

“As if Tadashi would be brave enough to quit after one-morning bed talk session.” Tsuki mused to himself, the faintest of smiles breaking through his lips as he opened an unsubjected email. An image of Tsuki and Tadashi in his apartment appeared on his screen, popping up like a virus all over his screen before it deleted itself and only showed three lines on the computer. 

We know.

The next two lines were a time and place to meet after work. Tsuki watched in horror as his computer made an unholy whirring sound seconds before catching fire from the years of unattended dust under his desk. Smoke billowed out from the tower as the sprinklers came on overhead and drenched the entire office. 

“Oh, come on!” Daichi yelled, diving for his reports and shoving them in his desk to save them from getting soaked. The other officers either rushed to save evidence or paperwork while Tsuki sat looking at his black screen. Tadashi rushed into the room with a fire extinguisher, putting out the fire quickly before glancing worriedly at Tsuki. 

“Tsuki, are you hurt? How the heck did you not notice the fire.” Daichi, Akaashi, and Bokuto rushed into the room, looking worriedly at the spaced out officer. Tsuki turned his head, his eyes were hidden behind the watery glare of his water speckled glasses. 

“I’m fine. Just got a little distracted.” He pushed up his glasses and tilted his head exactly five degrees up, so the light from his glasses glinted against the ceiling. The officer and detective are all straightened, nodding at Tsuki’s specific gang sign. 

Tsukishima had enough and wasn’t sitting on the sidelines of the Murder of Crows anymore. 

_____

“Objection! Irrelevant to the proceedings and hearsay.” Oikawa barked, standing up on his side of the courtroom. The opposing lawyer rolled his eyes. 

“You can’t just dismiss the confession what the man clearly-” 

“If you would please defer that objection to the judge, who already said that the confession was inadmissible to court then you would cut your losses and realize you don’t have a chance in hell of winning this case.” Oikawa checked his phone, nodding to Iwaizumi, and packed his briefcase. “But if you insist, then I’ll have my intern finish these proceedings. After all, if he can’t handle a shoe in a case like this, he should consider himself fired.” 

“Porsicuter Oikawa-” The defendant lawyer sputtered before Iwzaiumi placed his hand on Oikawa’s back and glared. 

“We have other things to do at this time. Please email or call my office with any concerns or complaints.” Iwaizumi growled, glaring the defendant and the judge down. Oikawa made a peace sign over his eye before smirking. 

“Or save everyone’s time and take this L like a big boy. Tata.” Oikawa waved his hand to the court before strutting out of the courtroom. Iwaizumi followed after him, apologizing to anyone who would listen before angrily chasing after Oikawa. He punched the lawyer in the back of the head. Oikawa clutched the back of his head in pain, crouching in a stairwell until he recovered his senses. “Iwa-Chan!” 

“You asshole! You might have just tossed the case by being such an asshole and disrespecting the judge and juries.” Iwaizumi scolded, shaking out his hand. Oikawa huffed, rubbing the back of his head as a knot began to form. 

“Then I could go for a plea deal that would prove jury bias and get either a mistrial or the case thrown out entirely. And the judge loves me. His grandson is my cousin’s best friend. I am going to see him this Saturday at the family dinner as a matter of fact.” Oikawa said smugly. Iwaizumi’s blood pressure rose, but he forced himself not to throw Oikawa down the stairs. Oikawa might have been a masochist, but he was also a petty lawyer, and their friendship only stretched so far. Letting out a long breath of air, Iwaizumi ran his palm down his face. 

“Ok, then why were you in such a rush to leave?” Oikawa grimaced harder from a different pain. 

“We got a meeting with Satan.” Iwaizumi shivered, his shoulders bristling. 

“I thought you said we were done dealing with him?” Oikawa shook his head. 

“He wants to discuss the legality of overtaking a few businesses,” Oikawa explained, looking as if he would have instead swallowed a live snake. Iwaizumi glanced at Oikawa as they walked to another hall of the courthouse. 

“Tooru, are you sure you need this spineless prick in your corner anymore? You already have the mayor-” 

“The mayor is a figurehead and holds only half the power. Toshiro Hinata is the man who owns the streets.” Oikawa snapped. “If I’m going to win, I need to make sacrifices.” Iwaizumi fell behind slightly, a shadow covering his eyes. Oikawa turned back just in time to watch Iwaizumi slam him into a broom closet and shut the door behind him. Iwaizumi balled Oikawa’s vest into his fist, pressing his body against the lawyer to pin him against the wall. 

“Fuck the election and fuck your pride. There is nothing more important than you or your name. That creep is going to destroy you.” Oikawa glared down at Iwaizumi, swallowing in an attempt to keep his voice even. The friction between them was more than Oikawa could mentally prepare himself for, and it had been too long since he could find suitable relief. Iwaizumi was just trying to kill him, wasn't he, Oikawa thought. 

“One, assault and sexual harassment. Two, if you're going to pin me up at least take off your pants-” Iwaizumi slammed his palm against the wall beside Oikawa’s shoulder, glaring up at the taller man. Oikawa swallowed before continuing. “Three, the suit is Italian, so please don’t wrinkle it. Four, we are late for the meeting. And five-” Oikawa held up his palm in front of Iwaizumi’s face. “Without him, I never would have gotten the cases I have nor won them. I owe him everything, and he owns me.”

Oikawa shoved Iwaizumi in the face, forcing the smaller man to slam into the door behind him. Oikawa straightened his suit, trying to not so obviously hide the slight tent in his pants. Had Iwaizumi felt it? Was he repulsed? Oikawa prayed that neither of those answers was yes. He might drink himself into oblivion if Iwaizumi hated him. He forced himself to think of the meeting he was about to attend, forcing his heart to calm down. But this scene was exactly how he wanted his dirtiest fantasies to play out…

“Fine, we deal with him. But one of these days, I’m going to untangle this damn mess you got yourself into. It won’t be pretty, but it will be for your benefit. I won't let you keep sacrificing your dignity for power.” Iwaizumi shot one last glare at Oikawa before slamming the door open and leaving. Oikawa smiled sadly at the door before dusting off his arms. 

“I love you too, Iwaizumi.” He dusted himself off and followed Iwaizumi to the meeting room. He glanced over the paperwork the redhead sleazebag handed him, frowning. “Toshiro, if I may be so bold as to speak honestly?” 

“That’s why we are meeting like this, aren’t we?” Toshiro smiled, though his eyes glared through Oikawa’s soul as if he were the devil himself. Oikawa carefully placed the papers down and spread his fingers across the page before placing his other hand on his hip. 

“This is so illegal it turns my stomach to even look at it,” Oikawa said bluntly, glaring at the slightly shorter ginger. The cheap suit did nothing to hide the face that Toshiro was nothing but trash in Oikawa’s eyes, but this proposal made him look worse than garbage. He was a monster. “I’ve been to most of these shops. Many hardworking people do a lot of good work to keep this city running. What you are proposing would completely destroy the middle and lower class economic presence in this city, but it would leave the city with an ugly scar that would take years to fix. I haven’t even gotten into the public opinion about it.” 

“Let me worry about the public, and you work on clearing the red tape,” Toshiro said, smirking. Oikawa shivered, jerking his hand away from the vial proposal and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“No. I may be a blood-sucking leech with looks that could kill, but I’m not heartless or thug. Public opinion is the only way to make this legal, and I will not damn those people just so you can get a quick buck.” Oikawa said, definitely. Iwaizumi bit back a smile as he watched Oikawa stand up to the vial parasite of a man. If he dared himself, he could watch Oikawa put on that look in many other places… Iwaizumi shook his head. He would not allow his mind to go there. He was not to think about his best friend like that, not after what he already did to keep Oikawa safe. Toshiro smiled, patting the chair beside him for Oikawa to sit. Iwaizumi moved to follow, but Toshiro held up his hand.

“How about you wait outside. This is a matter of business, not pleasure.” A cruel smirk twisted Toshiro’s lips, giving him almost a ghoulish expression. Iwaizumi opened his mouth to refuse before noticing Oikawa shake his head and make a motion with his hand. ‘I don’t need a problem-solver right now, just business’ was the signal he hated the most. Bristling, Iwaizumi slammed the door and leaned against the door, trying his best to eavesdrop through the thick walls and doors of the meeting room. 

“What could you possibly have to convince me to go along with this plan? The Kageyama’s don’t have anything close, so I doubt you could-” Toshiro opened his phone and pulled up a file. Over thirty photos of Oikawa and Iwaizumi appeared both men in various stages of undress and intimacy. Oikawa paled, and his voice fled from his throat. Toshiro hummed, looking between Oikawa and the phone. 

“Kageyama’s don’t have this. Yet. Though I’m sure, they would love to know what you do with your partner out there when you both get a little too drunk after winning an important case.” Toshiro paused, smirking even wider. “I bet Iwaizumi doesn’t even know.” 

“You wouldn’t.” Oikawa snatched at the phone, pulled out of his reach before he even was able to brush the screen. “I never raped him. I always left before he woke up. We just made out-” Toshiro opened a single picture of Oikawa doing much more than making out. “Please, you can’t…” 

“I can, and I will. I will keep this to myself as long as you write up my proposal to make it legal and irreversible. I say… a week? Yes, I think a week would be enough time.” Oikawa slumped against his chair, sweat dripping for his nose and forehead despite feeling like the ice was flowing through his veins. 

“I have three more court dates and a meeting-” Oikawa’s voice cracked, and he hung his head, leaning forward in his chair and hiding his face behind his fingers. The broken lawyer let out a shaking breath, his shoulders slumping as if a heavyweight had been dropped. 

“See you in a week, then,” Toshiro chirped. “Oh, and they are saved in several locations only I have access to. If we don’t meet in a week, I have a little less control over the security of those other files…” Toshiro whistled cheerfully as he left the room, leaving Oikawa in an empty courtroom with nothing to hold but his own hands. Iwaizumi rushed in, shaking in rage. 

“Oikawa, what the fuck did that bastard do to you? I swear, I’ll kill him if he touched you-” 

“It’s fine, Iwaizumi,” Oikawa said, the shakiness in his voice disappearing as an empty stare replaced the usual glow in the lawyer's eyes. 

“Get with Toshiro’s men. We have a case to make.” 

____

“Large iced coffee with cinnamon and cream for Ashley?” Ennoshita called, looking at the clock and almost gasping with relief. It was almost time to close up shop for the night and head to Kageyama’s volleyball charity opening. It would be the first time his shop closed at all for two years except on holidays. He handed the coffee to the customer, smiling at the next man who walked up to his register. “Hello, what can I get for you today?”

“Oh, I just wanted to speak to the owner.” The man said with a brilliant smile. His orange hair reminded Ennoshita of Hinata, but he just chalked the resemblance to coincidence. He nodded to one of the barista’s and walked around the counter. 

“I’m the owner. Can I help you with something?” Ennoshita asked, eyeing the man wearily. Something felt off about this man, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. He was clean-cut, with a fashionable yet inexpensive suit and a pleasant smile. Everything was picture perfect, but his eyes told another story. They were hungry, watching Ennoshita as if he were a bunny standing in front of a hungry wolf. 

“Yes, I apologize for the short notice, but is there any way you can squeeze me in for a meeting to discuss your shop's future?” The man’s voice was sickeningly polite, but Ennoshita did not have it. He slammed his business face on and crossed his arms over his chest. 

“Perhaps I should have a sign on the door. ‘Please call ahead if you want to talk to the owner about his shop. If you want to shut him down, please dial this number and just leave a message and he will get back to you when the hell freezes over.” Ennoshita growled. He didn’t care if the customers saw this, he wasn’t backing down from anyone who threatened his shop's safety. He employed those struggling to stay afloat or kids Ukai took off the streets. He might never be able to retire and always worry about breaking even every night, but the coffee shop had become more than a place to gather and drink. It was a safe haven for those who had nowhere else to go, and he would die before giving that up. He wasn’t about to waste six years of his life working to build another just like it. 

“Oh, I think you misunderstand. I don’t want to close you out, I just want to buy your shop so that it can be put under… better management.” The man said with a voice as sharp and delicate as glass. “Oh, where are my manors. My name is Toshiro Hinata, I own a small real estate business with the Kageyama family.”

“Shoyo Hinata’s father?” Ennoshita blurted, taken aback. The resemblance suddenly became all too clear to Ennoshita, but while Shoyo was bright and warm, this man felt dangerous and vial. It was almost like Ennoshinta was being licked and slithered across by a dozen snakes as the man spoke. Toshiro’s smile tightened. 

“Oh, you know my son? Well then, I guess things might get a little complicated…” He paused, his eyes turning from dangerous to a look of ice-cold murderous intent. Ennoshita pulled out his phone and glared shakily at the man. 

“Whatever the fuck you want, you aren’t getting here, sir. Walk away, or I’m calling the cops.” Ennoshita tried to keep his voice from shaking, but he was unsure of how successful he was. Toshiro glared at Ennoshita for another moment before holding up his hands in surrender. A cruel smile slipped back into the man’s lips. 

“I see you are not in the proper mindset to discuss the future of your shop yet. I’ll come back later and see if your mind… is a little more clear. Have a nice day.” With that, the man turned on his heel and walked out of the shop. 

“Ennoshita? Are you ok?” The barista asked gently, the other customers noticing the owners shaking breaths. Ennoshita nodded, wiping some of the sweat from his forehead.

“Yeah, I just need a minute.” he bolted to his back office, locking the door and stumbling to hide behind his desk. That look of pure unquestionable malice had shaken Ennoshita to his very core, causing him to hyperventilate as he dialed the only number he trusted. 

“Ennoshita, my dude. What’s up-” 

“Tanaka, I think I’m in trouble. Can you come by the shop later and help me lock up?” Ennoshita asked shakily. 

“I’m on my way now. Whose ass do I have to kick.” Tanaka asked without missing a beat, the sound of a wrench clattering to the ground echoing through the phone. Ennoshita took a shaky breath before responding as calmly as he could.

“No, they are gone now. I just need someone to go home with tonight. Please don’t tell anyone else. I don’t want anyone to worry about me.” Ennoshita pleaded. Tanaka was quiet for a long pause before responding in an equally worried tone. 

“Fine, as long as you promise to call Kiyoko and tell her what's going on. I don’t want anyone to escape justice, street, or court law. When do you close up shop?” 

“Six forty-five. That way, I have fifteen minutes to clean up everything else and make it before the last of the kids' games are over.” Ennoshita would love to help coach a few of the kids, but he was already risking going too far into the red with closing up as early as he was. He just hoped it wouldn’t be too dark when he closed; the rain could hold off, right? 

“You got it, my dude. I’ll call Kiyoko in an hour or so and see if she talked to you. Stay safe, crow man. Remember, brother Ryūnosuke Tanaka, is always a caw away.” Ennoshita imagined the dork striking a pose on the other end of the line. Despite his terror, he rolled his eyes. 

“You could be a little more subtle about being in a gang, you know.” He scolded before hanging up. His breathing had slowed down, and he felt better after calling Tanaka. Now at least he would be safe from bodily harm if the man tried to attack him. Ennoshita scuffed.

“You’ve beat up Tanaka and Noya simultaneously over a dozen times in the past few years. You can handle one rich lunatic.” He cheered himself, nodding in affirmation before getting out from under his desk. Until he closed, he would do his best to prove that he and his coffee were not going anywhere. 

_____  
“Yachi, Sakusa, can you pull up the lease and ownership records for a Chikara Ennoshita?” Kiyoko asked, leaning out of her office and looking at her two students. They both looked at one another before nodding. “Thank you.” 

“Are we filing a lawsuit or defending against one? So I can start typing up any important case documents so we can get ahead of the other side.” Sakusa asked, adjusting his mask and rubbing his hands with sanitizer. A drop or two fell on Yachi, and she squirmed. 

“Hey, don’t use so much. It’s not like anything is living on a single inch of your body after you almost bathe in the stuff.” Yachi complained. Kiyoko sighed. 

“No, Sakusa, I just want to look over it for the client. He thinks there might be trouble, and I just want to make sure that there is nothing too urgent. Yachi is right, could you please step into my office? I have a few questions for you.” Sakusa raised an eyebrow but did not make a comment. Yachi blushed, bowing her head as if she were going to be scolded by a teacher. Kiyoko tilted her head to the side before closing her office door. “Is something wrong, Yachi?”

“No! Well... “ Yachi sat nervously in the big chair in front of Kiyoko’s desk, her already petite frame dwarfed further by the large backrest. “You never call me in for a meeting, just the two of us. I just thought that I was… in trouble or something.” Kiyoko’s eyes widened, and she laughed. 

“Oh no, nothing like that, Yachi. I just thought you might want some privacy for my next order of business.” Yachi straightened as Kiyoko walked over to her desk and produced a large file from her drawer. “This is Shoyo Hinata’s scrubbed file. Everything from his past was completely erased.” Yachi jumped up and took the record, flipping through the file as her eyes told her brain what she couldn’t believe. 

“I thought you said you could only get most of it erased. It’s all gone!” Kiyoko smiled. 

“With your help, I was able to completely pull all his files, even the hidden and sealed ones. I burned the paper copies and had Yamaguchi delete the electronic copies.” Kiyoko watched Yachi squeal in excitement, jumping up and down. The lawyer thought that is was the cutest thing in the world. She was secretly glad that she was the only one witnessing the adorable display Yachi was putting on. From the bounce of her short blond hair to the beaming smile that seemed to split her face. The curves of her raised arms leading gracefully down to her torso covered by a pale white blouse that was only thin enough for Kiyoko to see the color and outline of her pink lace bra. Kiyoko couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering lower to admire the beauty and grace of her intern. Maybe, she thought to herself. 

“I also wanted to ask you to-to…” Kiyoko’s words caught in her throat. The room seemed to suddenly turn into an inferno of heat that only Kiyoko could feel. The usually stoic lawyer felt her heart racing in her chest, skipping a beat when Yachi turned to her in surprise. 

“Ask me what, Kiyoko?” Yachi watched as Kiyoko sat quickly at her desk, crossing and uncrossing her legs as she hid her face behind her hands. The intern noticed her boss's ears go bright red as her legs recrossed themselves. Feeling a blush start to creep in her own cheeks, Yachi stuttered. “I-I should get this t-to Hinata. T-Thank you for giving this your all. It really means a lot that you would do so much for you. I hope that I can one day do that much for you.” Shut up and just call Hinata, Yachi cursed to herself. The young intern blushed and turned to leave. Kiyoko’s hands went her face as her intern quickly walked to the door, noticing a blush on the other girl's cheeks. I have to stop her!

“Yachi-” Kiyoko’s body was moving before the lawyer even realized she had stood up. Her hand reached out to take Yachi’s side, her momentum carrying her forward and bumping Yachi into the closed door. The intern yelped, only making Kiyoko feel even more embarrassed and aroused. Kiyoko placed both hands against the wall on either side of Yachi’s shoulders, trapping her to force their eyes to stare into one another. Kiyoko cursed at herself for being so clumsy but at the same time couldn’t think of a better excuse than to tell Yachi how she felt. “Yachi, I wanted to ask you to-to coffee.” Her voice hopefully sounded more confident that Kiyoko thought at that moment. 

“Wha…” Yachi’s face was even hotter than the sun at that moment, her heart beating so hard in her chest and ears. Yachi was sure Kiyoko could hear it even with the two women’s breaths coming as heavy as they were. There were a few tense heartbeats before Kiyoko could muster up the courage to speak again. 

“I-I would like to take you out for coffee… After work today. About seven?” The impeccable lawyer was brought to a nervously trembling mess of emotions that threatened to burst from her soul onto the beautiful blouse Yachi wore. It was Kiyoko’s favorite on Yachi, which was likely the catalyst for her confessing to Yachi. 

“Like a... A date?” Yachi whispered, blushing. Kiyoko nodded slowly before leaning forward. 

“A date with… me and only me because I really, really like you…” The two girls found themselves leaning in, their heartbeats syncing for a moment. All the awkwardness and tension melted away as soft grey eyes stared in shining brown. At that moment, they felt like the world had forgotten about them, and they could just be themselves without fear of judgment from the other. They both knew that this was the moment they had been waiting for all their lives. 

A chance to kiss the woman they had secretly fallen for and never dreamed that they would actually be able to kiss even once in their life. 

“Kiyoko? Yachi? Is everything ok?” Sakusa knocked on the door loudly, shaking it slightly under Kiyoko’s hand and Yachi’s back. Yachi yelped as Kiyoko jumped back, the two women blushing and fixing themselves despite the fact they were both untouched by the other. 

“Yes, Sakusa. Come in.” Kiyoko said, her voice a slightly higher pitch than usual while Yachi sat crouched in the other side fo the door clutching the file to her face and chest. Sakusa slowly opened the door, carefully sidestepping the ghostly pale yet red-faced Yachi and handing Kiyoko a file. 

“I found the file you were asking about. I also noticed a pattern with the files and businesses surrounding it.” Sakusa wiped off his hands and replaced his gloves, casting a curious glance at Yachi. The blond intern had managed to get shakily to her legs, glaring at Sakusa with murderous intent, or as much murderous intent as an innocent intern could. “They are all benign bought up by different companies owned by the same person who only goes by the name Puppetmaster as his code name. I’m still looking into the connection and if his businesses are legit, but I figured you could help me if you weren’t… busy.” 

“That's great work, Sakusa. You should be a detective.” Kiyoko praised, forcing herself to focus on the conversation at hand and not how much she wanted to strangle the clueless intern. “I’ll help in just a moment. I have a few files to take care of in here.” Sakusa bowed and left, closing the door firmly behind him. Yachi jumped to her feet, seething with rage. 

“That jerk of a germaphobe! Why does he have to be so… so-so damn good at his job! He should be a detective and let me have the spotlight!” Yachi fumed. A warm blush returned to Kiyoko’s cheeks as she watched her jealous intern vent candidly as she paced back in forth in front of Kiyoko. Eventually, Kiyoko had regained enough composure to reach out and pull the fuming Yachi into her arms. The lawyer wrapped her arm around Yachi’s waist and cupped her cheek in her palm with a sweet smile on her face. Yachi’s voice was immediately stolen from her throat as she gazed up at Kiyoko’s soft gaze. 

“You have a much more important spotlight than him. You have the spotlight of my heart.” Kiyoko confessed, punctuating her words with the kiss that had been stolen by that pesky man. Yachi’s eyes widened before she to leaned into the kiss. They stayed with their lips pressed gently together for what felt like forever before Yachi pulled away. 

“Are you sure you don’t like him better than me? He’s really good at his job-” Kiyoko silenced the worrying intern with just a kiss. 

“Yes, I’m sure, Yachi. I can never replace you.”  
____

“Asahi! Come on, we gotta go!” Noya yelled, rushing through Ukai’s corner store like a demon hopped up on caffeine. Asahi hurried after Noya, trying to corner the smaller man to talk to him. 

“Yu, you gotta slow down, or Ukai is gonna get mad-” 

“Nishinoya! Quit running around my store and get to the courts! You are making me late!” Ukai yelled from the front of the store, his fists on the counter as he glared at the two men that lingered in his shop. “Let go, I gotta lock up, and you guys have to set up the nets for the charity.”

“But I thought we were on snack duty?” Nya shouted back. His heels screeched to a halt, almost making Asahi slam into his back. Asahi grabbed a shelf to save himself but only sent a dozen chip bags to the floor. Noya glanced down at the chips before grinning. “Oh, thanks, Asahi! I forgot we ran out.” He started gathering the fallen chips before running up to the register. Asahi moaned on the ground, slamming his hand over his face. 

“Why does this happen to me?” He opened his eyes to see Takeda holding out his hand to help him up. 

“I don’t think it is specifically targeted to you, Asahi.” The teacher chuckled. “If anything, Noya just has a cloud of chaos surrounding him, and you just happen to be in its area of effect the most often. Are you alright?” Asahi nodded, rubbing his backside. 

“Yeah. Are you refereeing to the matches or doing the scoreboard tonight?” The teacher shrugged and followed Asahi up to the counter to reign in Noya and the agitated shopkeeper. 

“Hinata called me an hour ago saying that he needed someone to do both, so I might force Keishin to take a break from coaching to help me.” Takeda looked at Ukai before laughing nervously. “Though he might end up doing both at the same time.” 

“That wouldn’t surprise me.” Asahi laughed, catching the bag of snacks that Noya threw at him. “Noya, these are delicate.” Asahi scolded. 

“That’s why you are carrying them, and I’m driving! We are late!” Noya shouted, throwing money at Ukai in his mad dash to both steal Asahi’s keys and run out the door. Asahi paled. 

“No! We just paid off the last accident you got us into!” Asahi shouted after Noya, yelping as Ukai landed a swift kick to Asahi’s backside. 

“Stop worrying, you overgrown man bun and get out of my shop so I can lock up!” Ukai yelled, slamming the door behind Asahi. The doctor lamented his predicament as he hurried after Noya, who was already in the driver's seat, starting up the car. Asahi got one leg in the seat before Noya took off, throwing the big man back in the seat and leaving his scrambling to close the door. 

“Yu! It won’t matter how late we are if we show up dead! I think I’m going to be sick…” Asahi moaned, putting his hand over his mouth to stop the sudden urge to vomit. Noya rolled down the windows as he shouted at the other drivers. 

“Hey! Learn how to drive!” Noya yelled at a guy he cut off. He took a turn a little too sharply, and Asahi’s face went slightly greener. “Asahi relax. I practiced a lot on GTA 5 and Mario Cart since last time you let me drive. I actually stay on the road now!” 

“How did anyone think it was a good idea to let you drive, Yu…” Asahi moaned, sticking his head out the window and unloading his stomach contents into a storm drain the second Noya actually came to a full stop at a stoplight. Noya grimaced. 

“Hey, I just washed this thing last week! Don’t be throwing up on it and ruin the pain. Blood, sure, but stomach acid eats through the protective paint coating.” Asahi glared at Noya, and the nurse shrunk back. After a moment, Noya patted Asahi’s back soothingly. “Are you ok, man? I didn’t think my driving was that bad.” 

“No, it must just be something I ate. The neighbors left us cookies earlier-” 

“And you ate them?” Noya gasped, almost turning entirely in his seat and giving the seat belt a workout. “Asahi, those were cookies the neighbors had three weeks ago! Dude, you might have salmonella or some sort of parasite now!” Noya pulled into a parking lot and jumped out of the car. Asahi turned even more green and started sweating as he opened the door and fell to his knees. He threw up what was left in his stomach, coating the ground and part of Noya’s shoes. Noya crouched down next to his boyfriend, his face twisted in an expression of rage and worry. 

“They said… they wanted to get over the rift between us.” Asahi moaned shakily, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Noya helped Asahi back in the car, ripping open a water case and handing the doctor one of the bottles. Asahi nodded gratefully and took a few trail sips before throwing that back up. Noya scowled. 

“As if. They have been nothing but assholes the entire time I’ve been there. Cookies? Did they really think that would be all it would take to just forgive years of abuse and harassment?” Noya whipped out his phone, dialing an old friend. “Listen up, Tanaka. We are about to fuck some people up tonight-” Ashai ripped the phone out of Noya’s hand. 

“Tanaka, ignore Yu. He’s just worked up.” Asahi panted, pushing the shouting and curing Noya away. He didn’t want to escalate things any further than they already were. 

“Dude, Asahi, you tend to not react enough in situations like this. What happened?” Tanaka asked worriedly. 

“Just a little under the weather. I’ll explain when we get to the volleyball court.” Asahi promised, ignoring Noya’s loud objections and insistence that they go back to the clinic immediately. 

“ Might be late, my dude. Police have been harassing me all night that I had to walk with Kiyoko and Yachi to get Ennoshita. Did he call you, by the way?” 

“No, why? What’s wrong with Ennoshita?” Asahi asked, focusing on Tanaka’s worried tone. Noya stopped fight and motioned for Asahi to put Tanaka on speaker. Asahi glared back, and the cranky nurse made a lip-locking motion. Asahi put Tanaka on speaker as the bike shop owner sighed. 

“I was supposed to pick him up an hour ago, but I couldn’t get there because of the cops. Then he didn’t call, and I can’t get a hold of him. No one has heard from him, and he sent a disturbing message earlier today, dude. Kinda wigged me out if I’m being honest.” Asahi could hear Kiyoko and Yachi chatting happily in the background. The two men glanced at one another before looking down at the phone. 

“Need back up, bro?” Noya asked. Asahi wasn’t even mad that he broke his promise to be quiet. 

“Nah, I got this. The phone might just be charging, or he’s already there and too busy to text me.” Tanaka reasons, sounding as if he was trying to convince himself. “Hey, gotta go. See ya guys at the volleyball charity.” Tanaka hung up, giving Noya the chance to fight Asahi once again. 

“Asahi, we really need to go back. You got salmonella or something. Seriously, dude, we got to get you taken care of before we even go to the charity event. Hinata will totally understand. I mean, your health comes first. I mean, if you don't take care of your health, then you're going to make you take care of it, you got it?” Asahi glared at Noya. 

“Listen, Yu. We have to go because the only police that will give a damn about this harassment are there. Bokuto and Akaashi will help us. Plus, Tsukishima and Tadashi both said that they are being harassed too. We are sick of it, and the world is against us, so we have to stick together.” Asahi insisted, pulling Noya’s head closer to his own. “Just trust me with this, ok?” Noya’s face hardened to a frustrated glare before he sighed, cupping Asahi’s face between his hands and kissing his lips. 

“You know I could take on the world myself as long as you were at my side.” Asahi tried to object to another kiss, mostly because he felt disgusting after throwing up; Noya wasn’t having it and kissed him again. “I mean, you could be on top of me, but things might get awkward. And you never were good from behind-” 

“Yu!” Asahi yelled, jerking back and hiding his beet-red face behind his hands. Noya laughed grinning. 

“What! You are the biggest bottom I’ve ever met. You said so yourself you aren’t very good at keeping proper rhythm-” Noya’s words were cut off when Asahi grabbed the front of Noya’s jacket and slammed him against the back door of the car. The doctor pinned the nurse against the door with a steely glare, trapping Noya between two strong arms pressed on either side of the little nurses' head. Noya blushed, not remembering the last time Asahi Kabudoned him; he wondered if it was the first time. Asahi leaned forward and whispered into Noya’s ear. 

“Keep talking, and you won’t be able to play at the match with a sore ass.” Noya’s face exploded in heat, and he gulped loudly. He could feel himself harden with just a few words. Asahi leaned back, glaring at the flustered nurse before nodding. “Come on, now we are really late.” He took the keys from Noya’s dangling fingertips and walked around to the driver's side. Noya slowly slid down the side of the car, both hands gripping the space in the front of his pants in a desperate attempt to ease his suffering. 

“Fuck, Asahi. Why do you have to be fo fucking sexy…” Meanwhile, Asahi was on the other side of the car, crouched low and trying not to bang his head against the ground from embarrassment. 

“I can’t believe I said that out loud! That was the most embarrassing I have ever done!” 

___

“AkaashI! One more! Give me one more.” Bokuto shouted excitedly at his setter. Akaashi glanced between the overgrown child and the boy behind him.

“Bokuto, I think you should let your student take a few. How can he hope to copy your technique if he doesn’t try it himself.” Akaashi nudged gently. Bokuto looked behind him, seeing a long line of kids not so patiently waiting for their turn. The detective’s face exploded in a wave of heat as he stumbled out of the way. 

“Crap, I’m so sorry, guys!” He watched as Akaashi set balls to the younger ones, the libero’s on the other side excited that their arms would no longer be bruised. Bokuto’s shoulders drooped as he watched Akaashi train the few boys who wanted to be setters as he tossed. He slumped into the wooden bleachers to the side of the court, putting his face in his hands as they rested on his knees. 

Even surrounded by worn-out bleachers, half-broken windows of a falling apart gymnasium Akasshi looked amazing playing volleyball. Even bummed out, Bokuto couldn’t help but feel happy just watching Akaashi. The emotional detective might not have been brilliant, but he was damn good at reading people. Akaashi was the only person he could never truly read, even when they were alone, and they both could let their walls down. Sure, he hadn’t planned on being one of the youngest detective’s in history, but growing up with Akaashi and the setters obsession with crime novels, it rubbed off on him. He wanted to be the great hero everyone could look up to. He wanted to be the Watson to Akaashi’s Sherlock mind. 

“Man, Akaashi is so freaking amazing. Those kids don’t know how lucky they are to get sets from him.” Bokuto pouted, shoving the thoughts in his head back. “Gah! Its no fun on the sidelines!” 

“Hey, Bokuto! You can come over to Kageyama and my court.” Hinata offered as he passed. The little ginger was toting brand new volleyballs that were donated early that day from one of the sports stores Kageyama had invested in. The setter in question huffed, carrying a new net over his shoulder. 

“Yeah, the renovation crews said the wax should be dry and ready to play.” The setter looked over at Akaashi. “Hey, Detective! You can bring the kids to the other courts now.” 

“Got it,” Akaashi called, setting another ball at one of the better spikers. “Come on, you heard the man, the new courts are open.” The kids cheered, stumbling over one another to get to the other gym across the hall. Tsukishima and Tadashi arrived then, nearly getting run over by the hoard of yelling children. Bokuto let out a burst of laughter as Tsuki’s glasses got knocked off his head. 

“Tsuki! My man, you gotta watch out for those kids. They shouldn’t be able to take down a giant like you so easily. Off your game, my dude.” Bokuto teased, trotting up to the lanky officer. Tsuki glared, pushing up his glasses and fixing his practice jersey. 

“Some of us were actually born with a brain, so you will have to forgive us for not having the muscle mass to compensate for the loss of brain mass,” Tsuki growled, handing Hinata and Kageyama his donation to Kageyama’s campaign. Tadashi snickered. 

“Well, I guess not everyone can have such god-like muscles like me.” Bokuto flexed, grinning at Akaashi as he did. The other detective turned his head, a slight blush creeping into his cheeks. Hell yeah, he thinks I’m totally manly with all these muscles. Go ahead, keep staring at my amazing muscles, Akaashi; Boukuto’s thoughts brightened, and he continued to flex. Hinata ogled and praised the former speaker, practically drooling as Bokuto flexed his shoulders and abs. Kageyama was looking perturbed but didn’t say anything at Bokuto’s show. 

“You know he called you an idiot, right?” Akaashi said, walking past Bokuto with a straight face. The muscular detective paused in his, showing off and stared at Akaashi. He snapped himself out of his haze and glared at the blond. 

“Oh, yeah? Who's the one with the detective badge, huh? Yeah, that’s right. Me, because I’m super smart and better than any other detective. Except for Akaashi, but that's because Akaashi is just as great as I am. Yeah, no one can beat our brains and what's wrong with a little brawn. You can’t get all your confessions from boring the suspect to death. You gotta have muscle, oh yeah!” Bokuto boasted, flexing again in an attempt to curb Akaashi’s attention and favor again. The younger detective just kept walking.

“The brain is also a muscle, Bokuto.” Akaashi pointed out. Bokuto deflated, falling to his knees and landing face-first on the floor. 

“Akaashi! Why do you do this to me…” Bokuto moaned. Hinata crouched by his side, hugging his knees before poking the muscular detective’s shoulder.

“I think you are the coolest ever, Bokuto. The way you arrested the guys trying to vandalize this place last night was super awesome.” Bokuto lifted his face slightly, his hair lifting slightly in its pouting droop. Hinata beamed before continuing. “Yeah! You went like, bam! And the three guys were like, Woah! Then their eyes went wide like pow!” Hinata acted out Bokuto’s heroic adventures from the night before, the detective slowly coming more to life with every strange analogy Hinata made. Kageyama grunted. 

“You dumbass, he was more like boom and then Wabash.” Hinata jumped to his feet, glaring up at his campaign partner. 

“Oh yeah? I bet I think Bokuto is way cooler than you do. He’s like that one British Detective, Shirley Temple, or something.” Tsuki, Tadashi, and Akaashi all grimaced. Daich and Sugawara came walking in, raising their eyebrows at the odd scene. 

“What do you think is going on there with Bokuto, Kageyama, and Hinata?” Sugawara whispered. Daichi scowled and tried to hide behind his gym bag as he hustled his way into the locker.

“If we acknowledge that there is a problem, we will have to deal with the problem. Frankly, I just want to change and have a nice quiet night of volleyball for once.” Daichi mumbled as he held open the door for Suga. The teacher glanced back at the group and took a step forward with a kind smile. Daichi pulled him back, slamming the locker door. 

“Akaashi! Am I your Sherley Temple or Doctor Holmes?” Bokuto yelled, rushing after Akaashi. The dark-haired setter pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes in exasperation while Bokuto waited for his response. 

“You are an amazing partner and detective. Not even Sherlock Holmes could compare.” Bokuto blinked, a little confused about why Akaashi was so nice before he caught a glimpse of black and blond hair jogging into the court. 

“Little God!” Bokuto cheered. “Jesus!” The large detective barreled forward, taking both men into his arms and squeezing tightly. “I’m so glad you made it. Do you bring any good food? Akaashi told me there was gonna be food, and the only food I’ve gotten is some meat buns and water from the fountain.” He let the two men down and placed his hands on each of their shoulders before his instincts kicked in. Something was very wrong, something he momentarily missed in his excitement. Asahi was as pale as a ghost while Noya looked as if he wanted to pick a fight with the world. Everyone noticed the shift and surrounded the two men. 

“Hey, are you ok, dude?” Kageyama asked. Bokuto shot a look at Akaashi, jerking his neck to the volleyball courts. Asahi nodded, but Kageyama did not look convinced. 

“Kageyama, some kids want someone else to coach them. Mind giving me a hand?” Akaashi asked, placing his hand on the young politician's shoulder. Kageyama looked between all the men who had gathered suspiciously before allowing himself to be led away. Hinata moved to follow Kageyama, but Bokuto shot his hand out and gripped the ginger’s shoulder tightly. With a tight squeeze, the detective nodded to the space behind the broken bleachers where no one could see or hear them. The men gathered in the space as Bokuto took out his recording device and sat on a broken crate with his hands on his knees. 

“What happened?” Asahi pulled Noya into his lap to restrain the fireball of rage that exploded out of the man the moment Bokuto started his questions.

“I’m fucking sick of people judging us and attacking Asahi because we are in love. We aren't bothering anyone, and Asahi does nothing but helps people all damn day. Then there are the constant death threats I get and the fact people spread lies about our fucking clinic. We have our medical licenses under investigation six times for no fucking reason! Then there are the bullshit tax hikes for the clinic operations. Don’t get me started on our ‘missing’ medical supplies-” Asahi pulled Noya into a kiss, stopping the growing tirade. Hinata glanced away quickly, feeling a blush creep into his cheeks. Bokuto nodded in understanding. This wasn’t the first time Noya or one of the other Crows had brought up the harassment from both the public and government side of their lives. Bokuto did not put it past the leader, old Ukai, to not report half the harassment or vandalization he and his lover went through. 

“Got it. If you got names of suspects or anything like that, I could do my best to scare them off. Tsuki, you got any other clues about how these can possibly be connected?” Bokuto asked, wishing he had his Sherlock cap Akaashi had bought him. It helped him think, or just think of Akaashi, which tended to be smarter than Bokuto; the detective insisted on keeping that excuse to himself. 

“They have to be connected. First, they attack Terushima with a bullshit arrest, then they go after Tadashi and me, and now they attack Asahi. They target only members of the crows even when there are way more scandalous couples or lawbreakers out there.” Tsuki growled. “We can’t do much about the legal side of the government. Kiyoko will have to deal with that.” 

“She has her hands full with Ennoshita’s case.” Asahi chimed in, rubbing Noya’s back to calm him. Bokuto tilted his head to the side. 

“What happened to the coffee man?” His ears perked up a little higher. Akaashi loved coffee from that little coffee shop. Bokuto made sure that he would always get Akaashi’s favorite coffee whenever he passed by; black coffee with two sugars and two scones. That reminded Bokuto to ask Ennoshita if he could teach the detective how to make the scones for Akaashi’s birthday. He snapped himself back into the conversation at hand. 

“Ennoshita called Tanaka to walk him here. He said a customer came in acting all threatening and tried to buy his store from under him.” Asahi explained. Ukai and Takeda came around the corner, looking worried. 

“Hey, why ain’t anyone on the fucking court? What are y’all gossiping about?” The blond shop owner asked arms crossed over his chest. 

“Crow meeting,” Tadashi whispered, Hinata nodding vigorously as he hung off one of the supports doing pull-ups. 

“Man, whoever is doing this is making me so freaking mad!” The little ginger muttered quietly, picking up his pace with his pull-ups. “Who do these guys think they are, trying to hurt us for no reason? What did we ever do to them?” Takeda and Ukai shared a look, their eyebrows furrowing. 

“Bokuto, get the Cat on call. I have a sneaking suspicion that he might know more about this than we do.” Ukai ordered. Bokuto nodded, dialing his best friend and putting the call on speaker. 

“Oya Oya,” Bokuto said, signaling that he was on speaker with the Crows. Tsukishima grimaced at the greeting before rolling his eyes. 

“Oya Oya Oya. What seems to be the problem, oh mighty Crows?” Kuroo hummed, the sounds of gunfire going off in the background. Bokuto frowned. 

“Bro, not cool! You can’t be having a firefight on volleyball nights. What if I get called in to investigate your dumb ass?” 

“Wait, gangs schedule firefights?” Hinata asked, flipping himself upside down to do curl-ups under the bleachers. Tsukishima rolled his eyes as Tadashi snickered at an unspoken understanding his lover made. Asahi clapped his hand over Noya’s mouth before the little nurse could make a comment. 

“Hey, it’s not like I try to plan these things. We are just dealing with a minor setback-” The sound of a bullet shattering glass interrupted Kuroo, quickly followed by shouting. “Fuck, SWAT. I gotta call you back. Someone fucked us over big time tonight.” He hung up. 

“Bokuto, we got the call.” Akaashi rushed around the corner, holding up his phone and panting. “Sergeant needs us now. Tsuki, Tadashi, I think you guys should get ready just in case the entire department is called in.” Kageyama rushed over, his eyes fierce as daggers as he scanned the group. 

“I’m sending the kids home. Someone just made a bomb threat to the entire block. I need help evacuating the kids.” Hinata jumped down from his pole. 

“You got it, Kageyama. Where did they say the bomb was?” Kageyama growled at Hinata. Bokuto was unable to stop looking at Akaashi, their eyes locked in a silent conversation born from years of working together. He never got tired of looking into the smaller detective’s eyes. If he would be honest with himself, he would never willingly look away from them. Akashi blinked, nodding to the door. 

“We get the kids out, then get to the station,” Bokuto said with finality, slamming his hands on his knees before jumping to his feet. The other men joined him, their faces turning dead calm and serious. 

“Tsuki, Asahi, I need you two to fill us in on everything that happened-” Daichi sprinted forward, his face pale as a ghost. 

“Takeda, Sugawara needs you in the locker room. He’s having a panic attack.” Daichi yelled, spurring the calm aura of the gang into a more apprehensive one. “Ukai, Tanaka just called. He, Kiyoko, and Yachi are on their way to the hospital. Ennoshita was attacked.” 

Silence filled the gymnasium as the rush of information set the men on their heels. Bokuto felt as though his mind was going to shatter with the sudden rush of information. He was lost at what to do, despite being one of the oldest and capable men. Did he save the kids? Help Sugawara? Or did he and Akaashi go to the station and help Kuroo? Bokuto could feel his heart pounding loudly in his chest as his breaths became shorter. He was utterly uncool at that moment, but he was so scared he was frozen in place. 

“Kotaro Bokuto.” Akaashi’s voice cut right through the muddled storm in Bokuto’s brain. It was like being dosed with cold water when he was blackout drunk but gentler and more pleasant. It was almost like a breath of fresh air that brought Bokuto back to reality, and his course of action seemed clear. He turned to Akaashi and the others, nodding. 

“Kageyama, Hinata, Noya, help Akaashi evacuate the kids. Then go to the hospital. I’ll go help Kuroo. Stay safe.” He ruffled Tsuki and Hinata hair as he passed, beaming. “Stay out of trouble, you two.”

“Please stay safe, Bokuto-sensei!” Hinata called after the detective, waving before springing into action. Bokuto waved back, sprinting to his car and driving to the one place Kuroo would be. 

“Right in your own home, Eh, Kuroo? You are getting complacent, you silly cat.” Bokuto mused to himself. He tried making jokes to himself to keep his confidence up, but something about the situation just did not make sense to him.

Why did it feel like everything is connected somehow?

Where would he have to pull to unravel the mystery?


	7. On Wings of Death

Soft background music played in the hospital's lobby as the night shift nurses typed quickly at their desks. A fountain behind the front counter trickled quietly to add to the tranquil ambiance of the waiting room. The muted colors of the walls complemented the cool colors of the seats of the waiting room. The only splash of color was the red that covered a pair of perpetually grease-stained hands. 

Tanaka felt his heart pound in his chest, his body trembling in fear and rage. He clutched the bloody rag in his hands until the blood drained from his knuckles as if it were the only thing keeping him grounded in the moment. Blood sat splattered over his arms and made a dark stain across his chest where one of his best friends had been held. 

"I'm going to kill them." Tanaka's words came out hoarse from hours of screaming, a slight tremble in his hands made worse by the onslaught of emotion flowing through his body. The shadows under his eyes give his blue-grey eyes almost a derange glow. Kiyoko hushed him gently, placing her equally bloody hand on his shoulder. 

"Don't think about that right now. We have to keep our thoughts focused on Ennoshita and hope he makes it out of this." She soothed, rubbing her hand up and down his back. He hardly reacted to her touch when any other time, he would have been a drooling mess on the floor. Instead, he leaned into her touch as he kept his eyes on the door where his friend had been taken for emergency surgery. Kiyoko watched as a single tear dropped from the eyes of the street-hardened gang member as he started wiping off one of his best friend’s blood from his hands. Her expression tightened, and she struggled to keep her voice steady. "Tanaka, he is going to be ok. Ennoshita grew up on the same streets as you and Nishynoya. He's stronger than you are giving him credit for."

"That's not why I'm angry." Tanaka snapped, jumping to his feet and pacing in front of Kiyoko. He put the rag to his forehead, clenching his eyes and fist tightly. "Ennoshita is going to be ok because he just has to. We need him to keep Noya and me in line when we fuck up because we always do somehow. He has to get better because it should be me in that bed, not him." Tanaka's cool bad boy persona fell apart, and he began weeping openly as guilt swallowed him. He fell to his knees, not caring that the nurses gave him sideways glances as he drove his fist into the ground. Fresh blood dripped from his knuckles into the carpet.

"He never bothered anyone and barely even wanted to join us. He protected everyone and gave us a place to hang out where we could be ourselves. He never asked for help and always did things on his own. Right after Noya and I pulled that stupid stunt with the bike, he ends up in the hospital? It isn't fair!"

"Tanaka, look at me," Kiyoko said firmly, dropping to her knees in front of him and lifting his face to meet hers. "It is not your fault. You said so yourself that someone threatened Ennoshita right in his shop, right? So it is their fault that he is hurt, not yours." Her touch, combined with her words, seemed to get through the wall of emotions that clouded Tanaka's eyes. He placed his hand over her and stared into her eyes, looking both lost and scared. 

"Kiyoko, what's going to happen now?" The question broke whatever composure he had, and he let his head fall to her shoulder. Kiyoko held him gently, rubbing his back as silent sobs escaped from the bruiser of a gang member. A fierce light began to glow behind Kiyoko's eyes as Daichi and Tsuki rushed into the lobby, quickly followed by Hinata, Asahi, Noya, and Ukai. They all were in varying states of undress or sporting clothing, making it nearly comical in any other situation. Noya dropped down by his best friend, gripping Tanaka's shoulder hard enough to leave a bruise. They all looked at Kiyoko for answers. 

"Yachi is talking with the nurses now." Was all Kiyoko said before Yachi ran up to the gathered group. 

"Yachi, what's going on? Is Ennoshita ok? What happened? Who did this?" Noya demanded, grabbing both of her shoulders and shaking her shoulders in his frenzy. "Don't tell me he's dying. That bastard can't die on me yet!"

"Noya!" Tanaka snapped, ripping his best friend off the already traumatized woman. "She's been through enough. Give her some space." The thought of Noya accidentally hurting Yachi snapped Tanaka out of his despair. While they all knew Noya would never intentionally harm Yachi, they also knew that he would become unhinged and lose control of himself after such an emotional episode. Yachi's eyes were wide as she opened her mouth to speak, but the only sound that would come out was a strangled wheeze. Hinata caught the blond woman as she stumbled forward, clutching her chest and her body shuddered. He carried her gently to the chair as Kiyoko whispered gently to her intern to take deep breaths. Asahi walked up to the nurses' station, demanding to be let in to see Ennoshita. 

"Yachi, everything is gonna be ok. Just calm down so you can tell us what's wrong." Hinata said gently, bouncing on his toes as the nervous, angry energy started kicking in.

“Let’s make sure Yachi is ok before we push too much about Ennoshita,” Daichi suggested. Tanaka nodded and stood up to face the group. They waited patiently for Yachi to calm herself, Kiyoko grabbing water and rubbing her back. When the blond nodded that she was ready, Tanaka squared his shoulders and rubbed the last remnants of tears from his eyes.

"Ennoshita was attacked when some thugs tried to destroy his shop. From what I could tell, they were not from any of the other gangs. They were smashing up the entire block but left certain business alone or barely scraped." Tanaka explained, regaining his composure as he nodded to his boss. Tsukishima's eyes narrowed, and he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. 

"So, this was a calculated attack." The officer concluded. Tanaka nodded. 

"They also raided the shops across the block, and no police were called. I had to carry Ennoshita here because none of the emergency services were answering." Tanaka growled, punching his fist in frustration. One of the nurses at the front desk shot them a strange look, and Tanaka stiffened. Something did not seem right the way she reacted to their open conversation about looting. Daichi nodded in understanding before glancing at Ukai.

"Guys, let's just be here for Ennoshita. We can talk about this later." Ukai mumbled, signaling Tanaka to stand down. The biker crouched protectively over Yachi and Kiyoko as Noya and Asahi walked back. 

"He's in surgery right now. I don't work here, so they aren't letting me back there to help oversee his care." Asahi fumed, running his hand through his hair in frustration. Daichi nodded in understanding before taking out his notebook. Ukai held up his hand and motioned to Tsuki.

"Four eyes, stay here with Yachi and Kiyoko. Keep us updated on Ennoshita's condition and get his official statement. Figure out who the fuck picked a fight on our turf without our permission. Everyone else, let's clean up our Crows Nest." Ukai said calmly, his expression revealing nothing as he pulled out a cigarette as he walked towards the door. 

“What are you going to be doing, Old man?” Daichi asked, squaring his shoulders as he watched his leader light his cigarette as he walked away. 

“It’s been a while since this city has had its Zoo meeting, don’t ya think?” Ukai said, his expression revealing nothing as he pulled out a pair of black leather gloves and smoked his cigarette. Daichi nodded before turning to his family. He looked at each one of them in the eyes before shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“Tanaka, I want to see Hinata initiated tonight. Noya, you are our Canary today. I want everyone who pays for our protection to get ready. Tadashi, I want you to get ready for a foggy week. Asahi, you are with me.” Tanaka and Noya shared a fist bump before the biker grabbed Hinata, pulling the ginger out the door with them. The cold night air was breaking for the warmth of dawn, the city ill-prepared for the beast it had awoken. The three men stood before two.

"Wait! What is an initiation to the Crows? Tanaka-" Hinata squirmed wildly before Tanaka threw a bike helmet at his chest. He mounted his bike and kicked the engine to life. 

"Get on, Hinata," Tanak said, his face dead serious as he fired his engine. "We are about to go collect some long overdue blood debt for Ennoshita. You in or out because once you pick-"

“So, this is part of getting back for Ennoshita?” Hinata asked, his expression growing terrifyingly calm as the light of the sun behind Tanaka glinted off of the ginger’s irises. Tanaka nodded, mounting his bike and pulling on a pair of fingerless gloves. 

“Seems some people think that they can fuck with a bunch of crows and get away with it. Guess they don’t know why it's called a Murder for a reason. This is your last chance to back out, kid. You really want to be a Crow?” Tanaka leaned back on his bike, giving Hinata a stern glare to ensure the kid knew what he was getting into. Hinata bowed his head, his expression tightening as emotions flickered across his face. Tanaka waited as the sun rose high enough to break over the walls of the city. Then Hinata raised his head without a hint of doubt in his eyes. 

“I’m in all the way. Just one more time.” Tanaka grinned at Hinata’s response and held out his hand. 

“Then what the fuck are you waiting for, kid? Get on!”

______

Polished Italian leather shoes crunched across the glass-covered floor in the middle of a war zoned living room. Bullet shells littered the polished marble floors, the tatami mats that led into the Zen garden revealed deep scarring from the bullet holes along with the knife gashes. The window overlooking the decorative poolside next to the kitchen lay scattered across the floor under the homeowner's feet. 

A thin palm cradled a wine glass as two dark catlike eyes watched with deadly acidity as heavily armed men in masks rifled through his belongings. Throwing cushions and carelessly knocking over dozens of delicate decorations in their futile attempts to find evidence to incriminate the mob boss. Every move calculated, every message read and recorded in the back of the business man's mind. This attack wasn’t about ruining him; it was about sending a message.

"You seem pretty chilled for a guy who is getting his house fucking destroyed by a bunch of triggers happy assholes. Can't believe I wanted to be a part of that squad..." Bokuto growled, clenching and unclenching his jaw as he watched the SWAT members terrorize their way through the home. Kuroo smirked, though the look of amusement did not match the look of cold murder in his eyes. 

"You never understood patients, Detective Bokuto. I'm just waiting for the real boss to show up." Kuroo's eyes snapped to one officer, getting a little too close to Kenma. The small hacker crouched deeper into the couch as the officer waved his gun not so subtly in his face. Kenma's lip curled as he flexed against his restraints like a cornered tiger that seemed either scared or enraged out of their mind and wanting to lash out at anything that moved. The officer growled in warning, reaching his hand out to grab at the hacker before Kuroo stepped between them and glared down the officer. He did not need to say a single word, glaring past his reflection in the officer's visor and sending a single message to the entire force. 

Do not fuck with my men, or you will answer to me, and I have never been one for mercy. 

The officer backed off, and Kuroo circled his men along with Bokuto like a lion protecting his pride. It was risky having Bokuto blatantly supporting him. Still, he had photos and other documentation to show that they had a childhood connection that ran deeper than professional courtesy would allow. The mob boss also couldn’t deny things would have gone much worse if Bokuto hadn’t shown up. He had arrived in the middle of the firefight at Nekoma’s warehouse and talked both sides down from annihilating one another. He kept the SWAT teams in line… mostly. Kuroo watched the show, waiting for the mastermind behind the raid to show his face.

The officers had arrested the mob's main muscle force under Kuroo’s command at his front warehouse, or the ones Kuroo's men had left alive. Kuroo and his men had returned to his compound to regroup and plan their next move when they found SWAT ransacking the entire compound. That had almost ended in another bloodbath, but an agreement was met under Bokuto’s shield and Kuroo’s negotiation skills.

The only ones allowed to move with any sort of freedom were Bokuto and Kuroo; the rest of the Nekoma gang members were handcuffed and sat on the furniture that had already been inspected violently. The restraints alone put all his men on edge, and Kuroo was not sure how much longer he could keep the more loose cannons under control. Yamamoto was almost foaming at the mouth when they knocked over his gun locker and started taking the ammo out of them and claiming to use it as evidence. Levi and Yaku kept flinching every time the officers scraped glass across the floor, their agitation only growing. Bokuto grumbled before completely losing his patients. However, before he could act on his impulses, a voice shot through the living room.

"That's enough. I think Kuroo gets the point we are trying to make." A voice called out from the front entrance of Kuroo’s mansion. The officers stopped their vandalizing and saluted, freezing in place as their leader walked in. A stoic like man walked through the door, his grey hair was tipped with black, and his SWAT captain uniform pressed tightly to his body. He commanded an air of respect that rivaled even Kuroo’s, though he lacked the general charisma. His vest signaled an officer, though his age only rated him a beat cop.

"Semi Eta. What an unpleasant surprise." Kuroo said, smiling and lifting his wine glass in the air. "I would offer you a glass, but I'm afraid to see what your officers did to my wine cellar."

"The offer is noted, but I doubt I would share a drink with a mob boss like you before hell freezes over." Semi retorted, snapping his fingers and signaling for his officers to clear out. Kuroo never looked away from the officer, a small smirk growing on his lips as he counted the police cars and SWAT vans parked all over his lawn.

"Police force got so bored it tried picking on an innocent businessman like me? Might have to have talks with the mayor about this." Kuroo hummed, sipping his wine. Semi opened his mouth to comment before a smaller man patted his shoulder. 

“I think you will find that the police have been very busy tonight. Try not to think of yourself as too special a so-called businessman because that fall from grace might be a bit… biblical.” The new man cooed, his greasy voice making Kuroo want to bathe for a week. Kuroo's eyes widened as his nightmare made flesh crawled from the depths of hell in the form of a red-headed man. 

"Toshiro," Kuroo growled, slamming his glass on the table and storming forward. Bokuto grabbed the front of the businessman's shirt and lifted him until his toes dangled across the floor, channeling the entire rage of Nekoma through his impulses. Semi pulled his Glock from its holster and pointed it at Bokuto's head at the same moment Kuroo's men jumped to their bosses' best friend’s defense. Guns cocked and clicked loudly before a deathly quiet settled on the room. Bokuto panted through clenched teeth as Toshiro continued to smile politely as if nothing were wrong. Kuroo slowly moved forward and got between Bokuto and Semi, gently placing his hand on each man’s arm despite the rage pouring from his own eyes.

"Oya, Detective, put him down. Semi, don't escalate this, or someone is going to end up dead. I'm sure the paperwork alone would not make his death worth it to protect this scum." He pushed both Semi's gun and Bokuto's arms down until both men released their hold. Toshiro chuckled and brushed his suit off as Semi returned his pistol to its holster. Kuroo waved his hand, and his men backed off. Lev sneered at Toshiro before Yaku elbowed him in the gut and pulled him back. 

"Come on. We've got some pig shit to clean up." Yaku barked. Kenma uncurled himself off the couch and stood silently by Kuroo’s side as he and Semi both glared one another down. Bokuto, Semi, Kuroo, Kenma, and Toshiro all waited until the men left before the redhead cleared his throat. 

“How about we sit and talk business?” Toshiro suggested cheerfully, using his foot to turn over a toppled chair before sitting down. Kuroo sneered before nodding to Kenma. The hacker sat opposing Toshiro with his legs crossed, and his hands folded over his nose and mouth. Kuroo leaned against Kenma’s chair, his snarl never leaving his lips. Bokuto stood slightly off to the side between the opposing men with a nervous glare. 

“I assume you are making a show like this because you think you have something we want,” Kenma said quietly, drumming his fingers together as he looked down at the shattered table where he rested his feet. “At least, you have hard evidence on whatever you are about to claim against the Nekoma trading company. Lawsuits can be tricky.” Toshiro’s smile never even twitched out of place.

“I was wondering… isn’t a cat's job to get rid of pests around the house?” Kenma’s eyes narrowed. 

“I really, really don’t like this game, so how about you cut the bullshit and tell me what you want. I don't want to miss my match tonight.” Kenma said slowly. Toshiro leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and mocking Kenma's sitting position. 

“Here I thought the great Tetsuro Kuroo was the man who ran the great Nekoma gang, not his crossdressing side piece?” Kenma’s eyes flashed, but he held up his hand to stop Kuroo from shooting Toshiro. “Sorry, that was rude of me. I suppose I simply do not see why a man would degrade himself to the point where he makes himself into a woman."

“Toshiro, you said this was a business meeting. This is getting personal.” Semi grumbled, looking visibly uncomfortable with Toshiro’s attitude. Toshiro rolled his eyes. 

“You are right, back on topic, of sorts. I want to talk about the future of the Nekoma trading company.” Toshiro leaned forward, holding out a file he produced from inside his business suit. Bokuto snatched the file from Toshiro’s hand and gently gave it to Kuroo. The mob leader scanned through it, his eyes narrowing. 

“Toshiro, enlighten me as to how attempting to insult me, raiding our home, and mentioning the so-called pest control allusion to our mascot has any correlation. I don’t like being jerked around by sidequests.” Kenma hissed, his eyes narrowing impatiently. 

“Well, let’s just say you and I have a problem, and we each hold the other's solution. If you cannot grant me the solution I require, you will be the only one to have a problem. Do you understand?”

“That sounds like a threat, Toshiro,” Kuroo growled. Semi glared at his partner in uniform, and the two men fell silently, testing one another will. Kuroo handed Kenma the file before speaking up. 

“You think we are mercenaries for hire in this city?” Kuroo said calmly, though his eyes were raging orbs of dark shadow. “Seems rather bold to be using such words as ‘eliminating a mutual business barrier.’ Any half-cocked paralegal could get you thrown in jail for potting attempted murder with just that sentence alone.”

“Kageyama told me that you studied law before you went to business, Kuroo.” Toshiro chuckled. “I wouldn’t call it bold. I would call it… giving a clear line of communication between possible business partners.” 

“You want us to eliminate the charity group? Tell me how a charity group could be a violent gang in need of elimination." Kenma asked, not lifting his gaze from the file Toshiro had given him. 

“Wolf in sheep's clothing was always the best disguise for those smart enough in the underworld. As for a reason for elimination as you have put it... Gangs and crime cripple good business. I just think that if Nekoma is to expand beyond its imagined potential, some toes might need to be stepped on. I also recognize that it will leave such an area in… disarray.” Toshiro admitted, Semi looking out the window in disgust. Bokuto growled, his nails digging into his palms until he felt blood dripping from his fist. 

“The Crows protect the businesses without needing to pay blood money. Half of the city would go under unless you increased funding for the police force-” Semi cut off Bokuto. 

“The mayor has promised to propose a new bill for funding the police department. I will also remind you that you are here out of longstanding respect for neutrality given your profession and connection with Nekoma’s leader. Do not incite a need for an investigation into your character as one of the best detectives on the force.” Semi warned. Kuroo eyed the SWAT captain with a new sense of respect. He could have taken Bokuto right then and there to a jail cell, but he respected him enough to give him a warning. Perhaps the captain wasn’t such a prick, after all.

“Back to the deal, I propose. I thought if Nekoma used its more ‘persuasive’ negotiation tactics to eliminate a threat to the company's growth, I could have my men and business associates keep the peace. I’m sure we won’t be able to eliminate organized crime from this city. We are businessmen, not vigilantes, after all.” Toshiro smirked, leaning forward in his chair. “I say, all in all, you are getting far more out of this deal than I.” 

“Says the snake in the Garden of Eden to Eve as she bites into the apple,” Kuroo growled, leaning his hip into Kenma’s chair and crossing his arms. Kenma hummed softly. 

“The devil doesn't come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns. He comes as everything you've ever wished for.” Kenma said calmly, his eyes slowly lifting to meet Toshiro’s. “Yet be warned for the price such deals demand.” 

“I’m starting to feel like my reputation is sullied with devils' work.” Toshiro chuckled darkly. “The devil was once an angel, and in God’s eyes, everyone is capable of redemption.” 

“I don’t think you cut, Toshiro.” Kuroo retorted before Kenma lifted his hand again. The hacker picked up his phone and began scrolling through it, curling up in his chair and looking almost childlike. 

“You said that if we disagree with your demands, there will be a price? Enlighten me.” The hacker mumbled quietly, his fingers flashing across the screen. 

“I think if you take the deal, you will not have to worry about such unpleasantries.” Toshiro purred before Kenma nodded. 

“Then this is my counter. Come back when you make a decision.” The hacker mumbled dismissively, his cold eyes moving from his screen to lock onto Toshiro’s. The man opened his mouth to make a witty retort before Semi’s phone buzzed. The officer took out his phone and choked. 

“S-Sir?” The officer mumbled, looking away from his screen and showing the man what was on his phone. Toshiro snatched it from the officer’s hand before glaring at Kenma and Kuroo. The mob boss grinned. 

“So, are you ready to talk shop, or you wanna have a case of that all over your desk?” The mob boss purred, running his hand through his hair smugly. Kenma smirked. 

“Checkmate, Toshiro. Game over.” 

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that…” Toshiro smirked. 


End file.
